Tariffs, funding for projects, grid connectivity, fuel supply, and infrastructure remained some of the key concerns at the two-day Conference of Power, Renewable Energy, and Mines Ministers of States & UTs that began here on Wednesday.
Tamil Nadu Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise P Thangamani, while stating that the present power demand in the state is expected to go up to 15,500 MW from the present 13,500 MW to 14,500 MW, sought the Centre’s intervention on a series of issues.
Green energy corridor
The state wants the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy, and Mines, Piyush Goyal, to facilitate establishment of a dedicated inter-state green energy corridor so that surplus energy from Tamil Nadu can be successfully evacuated and sold to other states.
Thangamani also said that about ₹17,000 crore is required for disaster proofing Chennai city. He requested Goyal to release the amount either as grant or as soft loan through REC or PFC for carrying out the improvement works so that the city becomes cyclone resilient.
The state also pitched for allocating the entire power generation of 2,000 MW from the Kundankulam Nuclear Power Plant units 3 and 4 to Tamil Nadu, to modify the bidding documents for Cheyyur Ultra Mega Power Project and also allocate a coal block to it, and abolish frequency linked penalty during high wind season. Tamil Nadu also wanted the Minister to address the environmental issues in thermal power plants.
AP seeks support
Andhra Pradesh Power Minister Kala Venkata Rao said the state had attained self-sufficiency in the power sector. He said that Andhra Pradesh is recognised as a model state in the country in enhancement of plant load factor (PLF) in generation stations and is now gearing ahead towards providing 24×7 three-phase power supply to all industrial feeders, even in rural areas.
The state is contemplating taking up this huge task by segregating agriculture feeders at an approximate cost of ₹4,000 crore sought Goyal’s support for it.
Rao requested Goyal to sanction funds to carry out the feeder segregation in rural areas under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) project which facilitates rural empowerment. Further, sighting the huge renewable capacity additions undertaken in the state, the Minister also requested the Union Minister to consider sanctioning of special procurement based incentives to AP Discoms for meeting the Renewable Power Obligations (RPO) targets in the state.Assam’s woes
Power Minister of Assam Pallab Lochan Das raised issues of fuel supply, transmission networks, and delay in commissioning of projects with the Union Minister.
Minister of Energy and Agriculture of Gujarat Chimanbhai Sapariya wanted Goyal to address the issue of coal supply at a notified price to fire the power plants, to do away with seperate renewable purchase obligations for solar and non-solar projects, grant for micro-grids and solar pumps.
Source:THBL
