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Minister Nimmakumar Explains Open Market Electricity Procurement
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News18•13-10-2026, 13:47
Minister Nimmakumar Explains Open Market Electricity Procurement
- •The Tamil Nadu government has procured electricity from the open market at an average of 35 rupees per unit to manage rising power demand.
- •Power demand in Tamil Nadu has surged by nearly 30 percent to 21,700 megawatts, driven largely by persistent high temperatures.
- •A shortfall of 3,000 megawatts occurred due to the non-arrival of expected power from the central government and a drop in wind energy generation.
- •Minister Nimmakumar stated that without this procurement, the state would have faced daily power cuts of 2 to 3 hours like other states.
Key Questions Answered
To manage rising electricity demand and prevent power outages, the Tamil Nadu government procured electricity from the open market at an average price of 35 rupees per unit.
Power demand surged by nearly 30 percent, rising from 16,800 megawatts to 21,700 megawatts, primarily due to persistent high temperatures caused by El Niño, a national power deficit, a shortfall of 1,850 megawatts from the central government, and reduced wind energy generation.
The tender to procure 1,500 megawatts of electricity is set for a brief period of 16 days, spanning exclusively from October 15th to October 31st.
