CHENNAI: Tangedco’s power purchase burden is likely to increase by around Rs 2,000 crore as the discom has forecast a shortfall of around 1,500MW between February and May, till the wind season sets in.Annually, Tangedco signs short-term MoUs with private power generation companies for purchase of power.While the cost per unit was Rs 4.17 in the last two years, this year Tangedco has signed short-term MoUs at Rs 5.29 per unit. Tangedco officials attributed the increase in power purchase rate to high demand for power from various states.In August last year, the Central Electricity Authority, in its annual load generation balance report, had forecast that Tangedco would face power deficit this fiscal. The forecast was based only on the data sent by Tangedco to CEA.Following this, Tangedco received nod from Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission to purchase power between February and May as the power demand during these months would increase.“Every year, we purchase power from private power companies as well as NTPC through short-term MoUs to balance the deficit. A few years ago, the tariff used to be above Rs 5 per unit. We brought it down to around Rs 4 per unit in recent years. But this year, it has again gone up,” said a senior Tangedco official. “The short-term purchase of power is likely to cost Rs 1,800-Rs 2,000 crore additionally to the discom,” said the official.“Even this year, the tariff per unit is only Rs 4.50 per unit, which is comparable to our own cost of generation in Tangedco thermal units. But this year’s cost is excluding transmission and wheeling charges,” said the official.Apart from high demand from other states, shortage of coal at thermal units also adds to the trouble. “Coal shortage has hit power plants across the country this year and open market prices have been therefore ruling significantly higher this year. This is reflected in our short-term tender bids as well,” said the official.As per the Tangedco website, the discom purchased power from Shree Cement , Sembcorp Gayatri Power Ltd and DB Power Ltd in 2017 at Rs 4.20 per unit. This year, the discom site has not put out names of companies from whom power is likely to be purchased.Opposition parties have criticised the discom for purchasing power from private companies. “When power is available with NTPC units at a lower cost, what is the need for purchasing power from private companies. The government must come out with an explanation,” said a DMK leader.

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