TN Govt to set up 10,000 Distribution Transfomers

Chennai, Jun 26 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister Arcot N Veerasamy today said the Government would set up 10,000 Dstribution Transformers across the state to ensure proper power supply.

Talking to newspersons here, on the eve of Golden Jubliee Celebration of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB), he said the government had also planned to increase power generating capacity at various thermal power stations in North Chennai, Mettur, Kundah and Tuticorin at an estimated cost of Rs 10,000 crore.

These power station altogether will generate about 2500 MW for the energy needs in the state, he added.

Mr Veerasamy said that to meet the ever-increasing demand of power for the 11th plan period from 2007-12, the Government was aiming to generate 3,095 MW of power for an expansion of existing thermal and gas power stations in the state.

He said about 3,000 mw of additional capacity through private windmills was also expected during the 11th plan. As far as generation of power was concerned, the government had taken necessary action to utilise the ports at Ennore, Chennai and Tuticorin by providing facility to bring coal - both indigenous and imported for power generation, he added.

The minister said government was also working out a new plan to reduce loss of power.

He said the Centre had permitted the Government to import 1.5 million tons of coal from Indonesia and Australia to generate power.

While justifying the import, he said the ash content in the foreign coal will be less than 7 per cent, compared to the local coal, which has about 40 per cent.

We are also initiating steps to reduce power loss by 3 per cent this year from the existing 18, he added.

UNI