TNPDCL to purchase 1,500 MW electricity to avoid peak hour shortages during summer

The Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) volition soon beryllium floating a tender for procuring 1,500-megawatt (MW) powerfulness nether a medium-term declaration to forestall purchasing of high-cost energy during summer.  

The tendering process comes successful the aftermath of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC), successful its order, allowing the TNPDCL to interval a azygous medium-term tender for a play of 5 years to procure 1,500 MW energy based connected the finance, own, and run guidelines. 

In the affidavit submitted to the TNERC, the Electricity Department had cited assorted reasons for seeking peculiar support to facilitate the acquisition of the electricity, similar the precocious outgo incurred for purchasing 1,000 MW during highest hours successful 2023-24. Other reasons were - to conscionable the assets adequacy guidelines of Central Electricity Authority (CEA), and a shortfall of astir 4,500 MW expected successful the adjacent 2 years. 

The TNPDCL cited the information of the CEA’s study and the request and depletion records, to find a shortfall successful energy during highest evening hours starting from 6 p.m. 

The information of the TNPDCL shows that the projected highest request this twelvemonth is expected to beryllium astir 23,000 MW, portion the highest request recorded was 20,830 MW and the depletion of 454.32 cardinal units were touched successful the State successful April 2024.  

Though the State has a renewable vigor capableness of 22,000 MW with upwind and star powerfulness generation, they person remained unpredictable. Hence, to guarantee that the TNPDCL person capable resources to conscionable immoderate surge successful request arsenic projected by CEA during highest hours, the Electricity Department wants to person a dependable root of thermal energy.

As per the bid issued by TNERC, the TNPDCL would beryllium floating tender nether medium-term done tariff-based competitory bidding route, according to the guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Power.