“As Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL), formerly known as TANGEDCO, is acting against the order of Madras High Court with regards to Solar Network Charges, we have to resort to organizing protests to capture the attention of the Chief Minister in order to get the issue sorted out,” said Jayabal, State General Secretary of Tamilnadu All Entrepreneurs Federation (TAEF) on Thursday.

Mr. Jayabal said via a press release on Friday that the Madras High Court recently struck down the network charges for rooftop solar power collected by TNPDCL. As the judgement copy was published in the Madras HC’s website on March 28th, TNPDCL stopped collecting the network charges from HT power consumers alone for April 2025 but collected the same from LT/LTCT consumers. After representing this issue to TNEB, a respite was given in this matter.

"Now, the Chief Financial Controller (Revenue) of TNEB has sent a circular to all the Superintending Engineers (Ses) and Deputy Financial Controllers (DFCs), instructing them to collect the network charges. This is against the interest of the State’s Industrial sector, and the HC’s order", TAEF claimed.

The government should note that other leading industrialized-states in our country offer various incentives including power-subsidies to their industry players and encourage trade, whereas in our State, the industry keeps encountering hiked EB tariffs that only hinder our growth. Hence we sincerely request our hon’ble Chief Minister to intervene and save our industries, Jayabal said.