Chennai: To meet rising electricity demand in high-consumption pockets, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board is preparing to roll out a decentralised renewable energy plan by setting up solar power plants closer to where power is used.
Under the proposal, solar units of 5 MW each will be established within the campuses of 150 substations across the state, taking the total planned capacity to 750 MW. The substations identified include 33 kV and 110 kV facilities.
At present, power generated from various sources—such as thermal stations in districts including Tiruvallur, Thoothukudi, Salem and Cuddalore; nuclear stations in Chengalpattu and Tirunelveli; and wind and solar installations in places including Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari and Coimbatore—is transmitted over corridors and distributed through substations of different capacities.
With residential and industrial growth expanding the power requirement in the outskirts of major cities such as Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai, the utility aims to supply part of the demand locally. Officials said this approach can reduce the need for new transmission lines and help ensure steadier supply without voltage issues.
The plan also includes creating high-capacity battery infrastructure to store electricity generated during the day, enabling its use during night hours. Work on the project is expected to begin soon.
