Slowing demand eases Tamil Nadu power deficit

摘要

Tamil Nadu state, in southern India, has struggled to contain worsening electricity supply deficits in recent years. Generation capacity additions and improved interconnection with the national grid are easing the pressure, but economic slowdown has been a major factor in cutting power demand, and reducing the supply shortfall. Tamil Nadu’s base-load supply shortfall peaked at a massive 26pc of demand in November last year. The state’s GDP grew by 8pc/yr in 2002-12. But just 350MW of new power generation capacity was added to the grid in 2006-11. Low regulated tariffs have deterred utilities from investing in new power plants, and pushed state-owned distributor SEB towards insolvency.