Coimbatore MSMEs urge action on power infrastructure deficiencies

Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) operating across Coimbatore district have escalated calls for comprehensive improvements to the region's electricity infrastructure, citing persistent supply challenges that threaten their operational efficiency and expansion plans.

The industrial sector, which forms a significant part of the district's economic backbone, faces recurring issues including voltage fluctuations, inadequate transformer capacity, and frequent outages that disrupt manufacturing schedules and increase operational costs. Industry bodies representing MSME clusters have formally raised these concerns with state authorities, emphasizing that reliable power supply is essential for maintaining competitiveness in both domestic and export markets.

Coimbatore, a major industrial hub known for textile, engineering, and manufacturing units, hosts thousands of MSMEs that collectively employ a substantial workforce. The enterprises argue that aging distribution infrastructure and insufficient capacity additions have failed to keep pace with industrial growth and rising power demands from technology-driven manufacturing processes.

The petitions highlight the need for targeted investments in grid modernization, capacity augmentation of transformer stations, and implementation of backup systems in industrial clusters. Business representatives have urged state-level coordination between power distribution agencies and district administration to develop a time-bound action plan addressing these infrastructure gaps.

Authorities have indicated plans to review the power distribution networks serving industrial areas, though no specific timeline for comprehensive infrastructure overhaul has been announced. The matter assumes significance as Coimbatore competes with other southern Indian industrial centers for investment and manufacturing opportunities.