Chennai: Terming as callous New Delhi`s "inaction" to the state`s repeated requests for additional power, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Friday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to allocate 1,000 MW from the central pool.
She also requested the Prime Minister to ensure availability of transmission capacity so that the required quantum of power contracted by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) is received.
In a letter to Manmohan Singh, the text of which was released to the media, Jayalalithaa referred to her memorandum submitted last June for allocation of additional 1,000 MW to the state and said: "Of this, only 100 MW was recently allotted. This inaction and non-responsiveness to our repeated requests during this unprecedented power crisis only shows callousness and indifference on the part of the Centre."
"The amazing alacrity shown in superimposing fetters on the rights of the States may also be bestowed on concern for the essential needs of the States and attention to fulfilling them," she added.
Jayalalithaa said the non-availability of the power transmission corridor due to congestion has deprived the state of requisite power that has been contracted by TNEB with various state governments.
She said the state had contracted 1,750 MW of power from outside for the month of March 2012 and only 350 MW of transmission corridor was made available by the central load dispatching authorities.
"The power deficit situation in Tamil Nadu has been aggravated by the prevailing corridor congestion. The problem of corridor congestion has also been represented to the Central authorities several times," she said.
The state, Jayalalithaa said, had contracted to source 500 MW from Gujarat and 727 MW at night from Dadri Power Station of NTPC Ltd. But only 203 MW of power from Gujarat could be transmitted to the state.
According to the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Ltd (Tangedco), the demand for power in Tamil Nadu ranges from 11,500-12,500 MW, but the total availability from internal generation, share from central generating station and other sources is only 8,500 MW, leaving a gap of 3,000-4,000 MW.
IANS
