Despite the steep rise in the overall consumer base and energy consumption in the state, the agricultural power consumption has been witnessing a steady decline even after the state becoming a power surplus. 

Since 2009, the state’s power consumer base has increased by 40 per cent from 212 lakh to 296 lakh in March this year. The agricultural consumers constituted nearly 10 per cent of the state’s total consumer base in 2009 but it has come down to seven per cent in March this year. 

The consumer category-wise energy sold by the Tangedco over the years shows a picture of stagnation and decline in energy consumption. In 2009-10, the energy consumption by the agricultural consumers was 12,428 million units which accounts for 21.50 per cent of the total consumption. But in 2017-18 it has come down to 11,257 MUs while its share in the state’s total consumption has declined to 13.11 per cent. In the corresponding period, the state’s total consumption has increased by 48 per cent from 57,775 MU to 85,890 MU.  

As of March this year, the state’s total consumer base stood at 295.98 lakh. Among the various consumer categories, the domestic consumers top the list with 207 lakh connection followed by 35.44 lakh commercial connections and 21.17 lakh agricultural consumers. 

Tamil Nadu Vivasaigal Sangam general secretary P Shanmugham attributed the decline in the agricultural energy consumption to the state government and Tangedco’s failure to provide free service connection to the farmers. “Almost six lakh applications from farmers for free power connection under the agriculture category have been received for over a decade. Even those farmers who paid deposit under the tatkal schemes are also waiting for the power connection,” he said, adding that in the last two decades, the net cultivable area in the state has been declining owing to conversion of the agricultural lands for other purposes like setting up of industries and educational institutions. 

One of the waitlisted applicant S. Marimuthu, a farmer from Cuddalore, said that in the absence of surface water and power supply connection, he was forced to use diesel-powered pumps extract groundwater for agriculture purpose. “Input costs for paddy cultivation go up when we use diesel pump sets. But we are not getting adequate compensation for the produce,” he complained.

“Agricultural service connections are effected every year based on the target given by the government and based on the application registration seniority,” a senior Tangedco official said, adding that since 2011, 1.48 lakh agricultural service connections were provided to the farmers. The official added that providing power supply connection to all the waitlisted applications at one go would create huge financial implication on state exchequer as the power supply to agriculture is completely free.

Senior Tangedco official said that they have instructed its officers to update the agricultural load in their jurisdiction. “Multiple loads are connected in single service, but a single service load alone entered in LT billing. Some of the agricultural services connections are permanently dismantled as per the records, but services are still alive. Further, there is a scope for further load updation in agriculture services, since existing load alone retained for the most of services without inspection with the assumption,” said a circular issued by the director, the distribution of Tangedco in July this year.  “All the executive engineers may be instructed to inspect each village/services connection and ascertain the actual conditions and to send report,” it said.