TN: 1500 MW power purchase from pvt industries

Chennai, Sep 13: The Tamil Nadu government was mulling purchasing 1500 MW of power from private industries owning generators to tide over the present power crisis gripping the state, Electricity Minister Arcot N Veerasamy said on Saturday, Sep 13.

Talking to newspersons here after a meeting on power Management with Industrialists at the state Secretariat here, he said the state government would convene a meeting next week in this regard.

''We will convene the meeting next week with industrialists who are ready to share power with the government', he added.

He said industries produce about 3000 MW of power through generators. The state government was planning to buy 1500 MW from them.

Mr Veerasamy said there has been no load shedding in the state for the last few days as the state, thanks to the power generated by windmills to the tune of 1500 to 1800 MW.

He also said that agricultural activities in the state has not been affected so far.

''If we continue to get the same quantum of power from wind mills, there will not be any power crisis till October'', he added.

Ruling out the possibility of purchasing power from neighbouring States, he said they were also facing power shortage.

On the Opposition demand for his resignation in the wake of the power crisis in the state, Mr Veerasamy said at present, the State was not facing any problem.

''Some political parties like AIADMK have been acting with vested interests and are making such demands'', he added.

UNI