Jayalalithaa wants entire power from Kudankulam power plant for Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: After giving green signal to the Kudankulam nuclear power plant, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today demanded that the entire 2000 MW power to be generated by its two units be given to the state in view of the "severe power shortage.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, she said it would be "proper and justifiable that the entire power to be generated from the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant is made available to Tamil Nadu."

"This is also inevitable as the transmission corridor congestion problem still continues and has also been brought to your notice," she said in the missive coming almost two weeks after the state cabinet gave the nod for the plant.

The Chief Minister pointed out that out of the 2000 MW to be generated by two units in KNPP, Tamil Nadu has been allocated a share of 925 MW only.

She recalled she had already made a request of allocation of 1000 MW from Central pool last year against which a "mere 100 MW" was made available to the state which was facing "severe power shortage".

"I hope that this request will be positively considered by you. May I also reiterate that we require and deserve this power?" she said.

The Tamil Nadu cabinet had on March 19 given the go-ahead for commencement of work at the plant which remained stalled for several months following protest by anti-nuclear activists and locals led by People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy citing safety concerns.