No question of power-cuts in Andhra Pradesh: Energy officials
The government has no load-shedding plans and it was working on resolving all power-related issues on a priority basis
VIJAYAWADA: There are no power cuts in the state even as various media platforms were agog with ‘reports’ that the government is set to impose power cuts across all districts from Saturday, asserted personnel from the state’s energy department. Condemning such rumours, they said that the government has no load-shedding plans and it was working on resolving all power-related issues on a priority basis.
Addressing a review meeting on power supply in the state, energy department secretary Srikant Nagulapalli said that from the average everyday energy demand of 185 MU, the state has maintained a daily power-deficit of less than one MU for the past 16 days, when the state was reeling under coal shortage. The total power deficit was only 10 MU for the period.
He said “Because the power-deficit is very low at less than one out of 185 MUs per day, power interruptions and load relief are negligible.”
Nagulapalli said that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed all power utilities to take necessary steps to operate AP Genco units with full capacity and improve coal reserves at thermal power units. He also sought steps to begin power generation in the new units of NTTPS and Krishnapatnam and make available 1600 MW. He asked them to also coordinate with Singareni Collieries and central agencies to improve coal supplies to the State.
Officials pointed out that RTTP and Damodaram Sanjeevaiah thermal power station had commenced power generation of 800 MW each on Friday. The power purchase price in the open market has also dropped to Rs 6.11 per unit from Friday’s Rs 20, which is a huge relief to power utilities.
Managing director of GENCO, B Sreedhar informed that they had noticed considerable improvement in coal stocks and supplies to thermal power stations.
The secretary instructed utilities to review power supply position at every level, and be in touch with CMD-level assistant engineers.
Officials clarified that the energy deficit for the past five days was low and to the tune of around 1.22 MU whereas it was significantly higher in Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.