Tambaram air force station seeks deemed licensee status | Chennai News


Tambaram air force station seeks deemed licensee status

Chennai: Tambaram Air Force Station has sought recognition as a deemed distribution licensee to get power directly from other generators, reducing its dependency on Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL).
Citing a Dec 2022 order by Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) granting deemed licensee status to the Military Engineering Services (MES) there, the Garrison Engineer (Air Force), Tambaram, filed a petition before Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC). The APERC’s order, valid for three years, permits MES to purchase electricity either at bulk charges from the distribution licensee or through open access after paying applicable charges.
In its petition, MES argued that as part of the defence ministry, it is exempt from certain clauses of the Electricity Act. It also stated that publishing its application in full in newspapers could reveal sensitive information about strategic installations at the station.
While most defence cantonments and stations connected to the state transmission utility (TNPDCL) have smaller load requirements, MES is seeking deemed licensee status only for Tambaram and Thanjavur Air Force Stations due to their higher consumption and size. The petition noted that Tambaram station consumed 42.65 million units over the last five years, including 7.8 million units in 2023-24.
Across India, MES has already received deemed licensee status in Delhi, Haryana, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh. The petition also highlighted that the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) has allowed a 20% ebate for defence residential consumers residing in cantonment areas. TNERC has invited objections to the petition by Jan 17, 2025.




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