Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister Nirmalkumar on Thursday released a white paper detailing the power sector’s finances and expenditure. He said the department has been operating at a loss for the past 25 years and that the sector’s debt stands at Rs 2.47 lakh crore.
The white paper listed revenue, spending and deficits across five periods. For 2001–2006, revenue was Rs 59,084 crore against expenditure of Rs 67,439 crore, a deficit of Rs 8,355 crore. For 2006–2011, revenue was Rs 92,737 crore and expenditure Rs 1,28,200 crore, leaving a deficit of Rs 35,463 crore.
For 2011–2016, revenue was Rs 1,92,971 crore and expenditure Rs 2,49,332 crore, a deficit of Rs 56,361 crore. For 2016–2021, revenue stood at Rs 3,20,140 crore and expenditure at Rs 3,78,674 crore, a deficit of Rs 58,534 crore. For 2021–2026, revenue was Rs 4,97,996 crore and expenditure Rs 5,32,443 crore, resulting in a deficit of Rs 34,447 crore.
Nirmalkumar said Rs 87,399 crore was borrowed in the last five years, adding that while additional revenue came in, expenditure also rose and “no development projects” were carried out. He also highlighted staffing needs, saying the department requires 1.40 lakh employees but has only 74,714 on rolls, leaving a shortfall of 65,921.
On infrastructure, he said the state had 1.35 lakh transformers in 2001 and that 99,573 transformers were procured during the previous DMK government, taking the total to 4,47,603. Citing ageing transformers as a factor behind power shortages, he said the government plans to purchase 1.50 lakh transformers.
