Tamil Nadu will be power surplus soon: Jayalalithaa

Putdukottai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday said load-shedding prone Tamil Nadu would soon be converted into a power-surplus state. “I am personally monitoring the power situation in the state. I would like to assure that the state will soon be made power-surplus,” she told a rally here for the 12 June by-election to Pudukottai assembly constituency.

AIADMK nominee Karthi Thondaiman is facing DMDK’s Jakir Hussain in the bypoll in which DMK has opted out of contest. “The work at the Kudankulam power plant is nearing completion and two units will start power generation very soon. With that, the demand-supply gap of 3500 MW will be addressed to ensure a power-cut free Tamil Nadu,” she said.

The state is scheduled to receive 925 MW from the plant which was mired in controversy following locals going up and against the Indo-Russian joint venture citing safety concerns.

The Chief Minister said with an increase in wind power generation and resumption of generation of 840 MW of power from Mettur Thermal Plant where a fire mishap had affected production, the load-shedding duration had been reduced while power holiday for industrial units had been removed.

She also listed various projects being implemented in the state such as the Rs 8,000 crore Udankudi plant in collaboration with the Bhel and said she would monitor them and implement them on time. Besides, she promised a slew of steps for Puthukottai, including implementation of drinking water project and other amenities.