Tamil Nadu Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar releases white paper on Electricity Board
Chennai, June 25
Tamil Nadu Minister for Energy Resources and Law, CTR Nirmal Kumar, on Thursday released a detailed White Paper statement on the infrastructure, finances, human resources, logistics and materials, ongoing project works, revenue, and expenditure of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board,
The Minister was questioned about current procurement updates in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, where he said that he will release a white paper in two days.
Addressing the gathering, CTR Nirmal Kumar said that there will be no tariff hike by Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB).
He said, "This year, there will be no tariff hike by Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB). We will not sign any order for tariff hike by TNEB this year in Tamil Nadu."
"Free electricity scheme for farmers will continue," the minister added.
Addressing the concerns over the smart meter project, he said that they will be fixing them in government buildings. However, no decision has been made to install smart meters in houses.
Nirmal Kumar said, "We have a compulsion to fix it in government buildings alone. We have not made any decision till now to fix smart meters in houses. We are thinking of doing a test process on it, and we have not taken any policy decision to fix smart meters in homes in our state."
In an X post, Nirmal Kumar said that the white paper will serve as a key document for growth in the power sector.
"Tamil Nadu Electricity Department Releases White Paper. This white paper will serve as a key document for the growth of the power sector, transparency, and future advancements," the TVK leader posted.
Earlier on June 16, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Marie Wilson released a White Paper regarding the state's fiscal position.
Tamil Nadu's debt burden has increased over the past five years, with the state's debt-to-GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) ratio reaching 28.3 per cent in 2025-26 (Revised Estimates), according to figures released in the fiscal white paper.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Thank God no tariff hike! 🙏 Farmers and common people need relief. But I am skeptical about smart meters in govt buildings first - will there be privacy issues? And why not install them in houses step by step?
Interesting approach from Tamil Nadu. I work in energy consulting in Australia and transparency is key for governance. But 28.3% debt-to-GSDP is concerning. White paper should detail how TNEB plans to reduce losses and improve efficiency.
Free electricity for farmers is good but someone has to pay for it! We need to think about long-term sustainability. Also, smart meter trial in govt buildings is smart - they can test without burdening public. Hope they learn from other states' mistakes.
Releasing white papers is good for accountability, but I've seen this before in Indian states - lots of documents, less implementation. The real test will be if TNEB can reduce AT&C losses and improve power quality. Actions speak louder than papers!
As a TN resident, I appreciate no tariff hike announcement. But bro, the power cuts during summer were unbearable! Hope white paper addresses infrastructure issues properly. Also, debt of 28.3% is scary - how will we repay?
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.