The power demand-supply gap will continue to dog Tamil Nadu despite the planned capacity addition.

The power shortage in the state to continue till 2013-14 in spite of the planned capacity addition of 7,115 mw in the state and central sectors in five years to take the total installed capacity to 19,194 mw. There would be a shortage of 1,875 mw by 2013-14 as the projected demand would rise to 16,927 mw against the availability of 15,052 mw

The projected demand and supply report, based on the 17th electrical power survey by the Central Electricity Authority, was placed in the state Assembly by power minister Arcot N Veerasamy on Wednesday.

Veerasamy said the gap in demand and supply would be met by utilising the generation from the renewable and other available sources, mainly wind power during May-October . The minister expects the wind power availability to be no less than 1000 mw. ??The remaining deficit will be met out of captive power plants and power purchases from the open market??, he said. At present the state has an installed capacity of 4,886 mw from renewable energy sources including 4,310 mw from wind mills.

During 2009-10, 1,124 mw would be added to the state grid from the Central sector. This would include 36 mw from the Kaiga atomic power plant stage 2, unit 2, expected to be commissioned in December 2009, 163 mw from the Neyveli Thermal Station-2 unit 1, to be commissioned in February 2010 and 925 mw from the Kudankulam atomic power station expected to be commissioned during this fiscal.

Nine small hydro projects in the state will add 33 mw taking the total to 1,157 mw. The total installed capacity would be 11,371 mw. Power availability would be 10,443 mw and projected demand 12,860 mw leaving a deficit of 1,232 mw. If the 5% spinning reserve is also added the deficit would be 1,801 mw.

In 2010-11, the capacity addition from the state and central sectors would be 1,459 mw. However, the projected demand during the year would be 12,860 mw against a total availability of 11,547 mw, with a shortage of 1,313 mw. With the spinning reserve the deficit would be 1,955 mw. During 2011-12, many of the power projects now under way would be commissioned and the additional capacity available to Tamil Nadu would be 2,292 mw, taking the total installed capacity to 15,167 mw.

However the demand also would rise to 14,224. Availability would be at 13,176 mw leaving a deficit of 1,048, which could be up to 1,806 with spinning reserve.