Latest news with #TNPDCL
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
TN set to ink power deals with private players for five years to tide over shortfall
Chennai: Beginning Feb next year, the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL) will procure 1,500 MW of power from private generators across the country and within the state for five years to manage increasing power demand in the state. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has approved TNPDCL's proposal to float a tender for 800 MW to procure electricity from generators in other states under medium-term power purchase agreements. The tenders will soon be floated on the Union power ministry's DEEP portal, and agreements will be signed with the lowest bidder using the reverse auction method. For the remaining 700 MW, TNPDCL wants to sign agreements with generators within the state to ensure availability of power. TNPDCL officials said the medium-term supply is necessary as existing long-term power purchase agreements (15 years) for 2,830 MW end in 2028. Since the state power utility cannot sign long-term agreements until 2028, it decided to sign medium-term power purchase agreements to keep costs in check. "The power cost in short-term power purchase agreements ranges from 8 to 10 per unit, but the medium-term agreements would ensure low-cost power," said TNPDCL officials. Of the four medium-term agreements of TNPDCL, two have already expired, while power delivery has not started in two other agreements due to issues in coal availability to the plants. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai The central electricity authority, in its resource adequacy report to Tamil Nadu, suggested that TNPDCL sign power purchase agreements as the shortfall to meet the power demand is estimated to be 3,845 MW in 2026-27 and 6,822 MW in 2029-30. While TN gets 15,043 MW of thermal power from central generating stations and power purchase agreements, among others, additional power is required to meet the evening peak in demand due to unpredictable nature of renewable power sources.
New Indian Express
09-07-2025
- New Indian Express
Asian palm civet climbs pole to escape strays in Nilgiris
NILGIRIS: An Asian palm civet, chased by stray dogs, climbed onto an electric pole and remained there for close to half an hour before escaping near Sims Park in Coonoor on Tuesday morning. Upon receiving information, Coonoor forest range staff, led by Forest Range Officer N Ravindranath, visited the spot at 10.15 am on Tuesday. They chased the dogs away and attempted to rescue the palm civet. However, it escaped the park by crawling along a power cable and reaching a nearby tree. "Soon after the small nocturnal animal climbed the electric pole and stayed close to the power cable, we contacted TNPDCL staff to disconnect power supply. Subsequently, we prepared to rescue the animal and planned to release it back into the forest, but it got away," an official said. The palm civet, also called the common palm civet, is listed as 'least concern' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The official said that they have asked traders and residents to inform the department staff if they notice the palm civet again in residential areas. "We suspect the animal, which is omnivorous, could have come near Sims Park to consume fruits, which are abundant in the locality," the official added.
The Hindu
21-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Industries demand reduction in power tariff as consumer price index registers a decline
With the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for April 2025 declining compared with last April, industries in Coimbatore are demanding that the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation (TNPDCL) retain the electricity tariff for industries at the same level or reduce it. Based on the multi-year tariff revision introduced in 2022, industries will see 6% increase in power tariff from July 1. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) order says that the control period under the multi-year tariff frame work shall be five years. The year preceding the first year of the control period shall be the base year where the Commission desires to fix multi year tariff. A formula based on Consumers' Price lndex (wholesale Price lndex (or) a quantum (Percentage / value) required to meet the Aggregate Revenue Requirement of the licensee shall be prescribed. Industry sources here said the All India Consumer Price Index for April 2025 is 3.48 % as against 4.83 % in April 2024. Since there is a decline in the CPI, the Commission and the TNPDCL should not implement the annual 6 % annual hike in tariff this year. They urged the TNERC also to issue orders to either retain the tariff or reduce it. Electricity consultants said if the CPI has reduced in April this year, the TNPDCL and the TNERC should not hike the tariff from July 1.
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Kathirimalai, remote hamlet in Erode, to receive power supply soon as tender process completed
A long-awaited project to bring electricity to Kathirimalai, a remote hamlet in Erode district, is set to begin soon, as the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) — formerly known as the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) — is in the process of issuing the work order to the contractor. Work is expected to commence within a month and be completed in three months. The remote hamlet can be reached only after a 9-kilometre trek across rough terrain from Kathiripatti, located at the foothills in Kolathur block of Salem district. About 82 km from Erode, Kathirimalai is home to 76 families comprising 267 individuals from the Solaga tribal community. The hamlet is situated at an elevation of 1,052 metres in the Chennampatti forest range within the Erode Forest Division, under the jurisdiction of Bargur Panchayat Union in Anthiyur taluk. In 2018, the village briefly received solar-powered lighting, with each household being provided two bulbs. However, most of the batteries have since become non-functional, leaving the village in darkness after sunset. The lack of electricity and motorable roads has posed serious challenges for residents, especially students and during medical emergencies. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, during his visit to Erode on December 20, 2024, announced the electrification of the hamlet at an estimated cost of ₹2.50 crore, which was later revised to ₹3.25 crore. Following this, tenders were floated, and a contractor was recently finalised. A senior engineer at the Gobichettipalayam Electricity Distribution Circle told The Hindu that 300 electric poles would be erected from Kathiripatti at the foothills to the hamlet, covering a distance of 8.34 km. Since there is no nearby sub-station within the circle, power will be drawn from the Sathya Nagar sub-station in Kolathur. The official added that household connections will be provided based on applications submitted by residents. 'The contractor is expected to begin work within a month and complete it in three months,' the official said. Transporting the poles and other equipment to the site will be a major challenge due to the absence of a motorable road. A single-layer water-bound macadam road, laid in 2022 at a cost of ₹1.47 crore through forest clearance, has suffered extensive damage due to rainfall and other environmental factors, further complicating access to the hamlet.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Draft policy eases green targets
Chennai: TNPDCL and other private power producers may soon get relief from some of their green energy obligations. A new draft amendment has proposed lowering the mandatory purchase targets for wind and hydro power. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now These changes are part of Centre's 2023 policy on Renewable Power Obligations, which aims to reduce carbon emissions and promote green energy. The policy requires power firms, including private and industrial users, to buy a fixed percentage of renewable energy based on power use. Currently, TN's regulations require TNPDCL to buy 3.36% wind and 1.48% hydro power by 2025-26. These targets would rise to 6.94% and 2.82% by 2029-30. However, under the draft amendment, the targets for 2025-26 have been reduced to 1.45% for wind and 1.22% for hydro, applying only to projects set up after March 2024. Proposed changes allow more flexibility. If there's extra green power in one category, it can be used to cover shortfalls in other categories. Nonetheless, the total renewable power obligations remain unaltered. For 2025-26, the RPO target for TNPDCL is 33.01%, which would go up to 43.33%. However, TNPDCL officials state there will still be a deficit in meeting RPO obligations as overall target remains altered. "The deficit widens from 3.55% for 2025-26 to 11.14% for 2029-30. Over the next 10 years, we need to add 15,000MW apart from the projects that are already in the pipeline in order to meet the RPO targets," said an official.
