Power tariff hiked by 52% in 10-year AIADMK regime; only 30% in DMK regime: Minister Senthilbalaji

CHENNAI: Negating criticism of the principal opposition regarding the electricity tariff hike in the State, Electricity Minister V Senthilbalaji on Tuesday claimed that the tariff was hiked by 52% in the previous 10-year AIADMK regime, but was only increased by 30% under the incumbent.

Intervening during the debate on demand for grants for the Electricity Department in the Assembly, Senthilbalaji said, "They (AIADMK) are trying to create an impression that the electricity tariff was not hiked in the previous AIADMK regime and it was only hiked under the present DMK rule. It is wrong. During the previous 10-year AIADMK regime, the electricity tariff was hiked by 37% in 2012, another 3.57% in 2013 and 16.33% in 2014. Altogether, it was hiked by 56.9% in the 10-year AIAMDK regime. Prior to the elections in 2016, it was reduced by four per cent."

Pointing out that the electricity tariff was altogether hiked by 52.9% in the previous 10-year AIADMK regime, Senthilbalaji said that it has only been hiked by 30% under the incumbent. The minister offered the statistic-packed reply to senior AIADMK legislator and former EB minister 'Natham' R Viswanathan, who, while participating in the debate, accused the DMK regime of steeply hiking the EB tariff.

‘Power plant works on fast lane’

Responding to Viswanathan's specific charges about the delayed execution of power generation plants in the DMK regime, the Electricity Minister clarified in the House that Chief Minister MK Stalin has specifically instructed them to expedite the execution of power generation projects in the State. Stating that the phase III of the North Chennai Thermal Power Plant project announced in 2010 in the previous DMK regime must have been completed in 2019, Balaji alleged that it did not happen due to the delay in the previous AIADMK regime. However, it was completed and inaugurated by the CM on April 17, 2025, facilitating the generation of 1,283 million units of electricity, the minister said, and added that even the Ennore project announced in 2010 remains unfinished. The Chief Minister has instructed the department to expeditiously execute power generation projects with a capacity of 4,900 MW, he said.