SIMA focus on Power !!
The newly-elected chairman of the association, J. Thulasidharan, and Vice-Chairman T. Rajkumar told presspersons here on Tuesday that power cost was 13 to 14 per cent of the sales value (grid power) for the mills. Since last November, the mills in the State were hit by power shortage and were now facing 20 per cent power cut. This was expected to go up to 40 per cent in a couple of months since energy generation from wind mills would drop.
Five mills that had dedicated feeder were awaiting approval from the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission to source power directly from the power exchanges on a daily-load basis as a trial project.The total power requirement of the association’s member mills in the State was 500 MW. The SIMA had requested the Tata Power Trading Company to give a proposal on supply (inter-State or intra-State) during windy and non-windy seasons.
By purchasing power from the exchanges to meet the shortage instead of operating the generator sets, the energy cost would be nearly 50 per cent less for the mills. As a long-term project, the association was also working on the proposed captive power plant.
New office-bearersMeanwhile, J. Thulasidharan, Managing Director of Rajaratna Mills, Palani Taluk, has been elected chairman of the Southern India Mills’ Association for 2009-2010.
The other office-bearers of the association are: S. Dinakaran, Joint Managing Director of Sambandam Spinning Mills, Salem (Deputy Chairman) and T. Rajkumar, Managing Director of Sri Mahasakthi Mills, Coimbatore (Vice-Chairman).
