High-cost power to be purchased for 16 days to avoid unscheduled cuts, says Minister

The state electricity board reported that the current peak demand has reached 21,000 megawatts, a sharp rise from the 16,000 megawatts recorded at the same time last year. Meteorologists attribute the surge to an El Niño pattern that has pushed temperatures above normal across the region, prompting households and businesses to run air‑conditioners for longer periods. The higher demand has strained transmission lines and raised concerns about the ability of existing contracts to meet the load without interruption.

To avoid unscheduled power cuts, the minister announced that the government will purchase power at a higher market rate for a period of sixteen days. The short‑term purchase is intended to fill gaps left by delayed renewable generation and lower‑cost thermal plants that are currently offline for maintenance. While the move ensures that electricity remains available to consumers, it also means that the cost of generation will be passed on to the distribution companies, which may later reflect in consumer tariffs.

Experts say that the current situation highlights the need for longer‑term demand‑side management and investment in storage solutions. They point out that repeated reliance on expensive short‑term purchases can erode the financial health of the power sector and increase the burden on households, especially those with limited income. The government has indicated that it will review its procurement strategy after the sixteen‑day window to balance reliability with affordability for the people of Tamil Nadu.