Tamil Nadu’s power board temporarily stopped generation from wind and solar plants on October 28, resulting in the loss of 11 lakh units of renewable electricity, according to a report by Dinamalar. The board said the curtailment was carried out for a few minutes after electricity demand fell suddenly and to protect transmission lines.
The wasted generation included 8.60 lakh units of solar power and 2.40 lakh units of wind power, renewable-energy producers’ association chief adviser Venkatasalam told Dinamalar. He said the curtailment caused losses for investors and criticised the decision to stop renewable generation while continuing to use electricity from thermal and gas-based plants purchased at higher rates.
Venkatasalam said central and state laws provide for prioritising wind and solar power when meeting electricity demand. If demand falls and generation has to be reduced, he said, thermal and gas-based power should ordinarily be curtailed first, with wind and solar generation stopped only later.
The episode highlights the operational challenge faced by electricity systems when demand changes sharply while multiple types of generation remain available. Solar generation is concentrated during daylight hours, while wind output can vary according to weather conditions. At the same time, thermal and gas-based plants may be operating under separate supply and scheduling arrangements. The report does not provide details of the specific grid condition, transmission corridor or generating stations involved in the October 28 curtailment.
A power-board official quoted by Dinamalar said the reduction in demand happened suddenly and that the action was taken only for a few minutes to maintain transmission-line safety. The official also said that wind and solar power continue to receive priority.
The competing accounts centre on how the system applied that priority during the temporary grid-security action. The renewable-energy association said the sequence of curtailment was inconsistent with the stated preference for lower-cost renewable electricity. The power-board official described the action as a short-term safety measure rather than a change in the state’s dispatch policy.
The immediate impact reported by the association was the loss of 11 lakh units of potential renewable generation and financial harm to producers. No further details were provided in the report about the duration of the interruption, the affected projects, the electricity demand level or whether compensation would be considered.
The power board’s stated position is that wind and solar generation will continue to receive priority, while the renewable-energy association has called for that priority to be followed in future curtailment decisions. The next point of attention is how the board manages similar sudden demand reductions while maintaining transmission-line safety and renewable-power dispatch.
