Power demand in Telangana breaks 10,000 MW mark

Hyderabad: The power demand of Telangana state broke all previous records on Saturday breaching the 10,000-MW mark for the first time. The peak power demand recorded was 10,002 MW at 7.45 am on Saturday. Another record was also broken by supplying 208 million units. For the last four days, the Disc-oms were hitting ‘double century’ by supplying over 200 MUs per day consecutively. Despite this peak load, both the TS Discoms (TSSPDCL and TSNPDCL) supplied uninterrupted power. 

The increase in power demand was being attributed to 24x7 free power to agriculture and increased industrial usage. TS Discoms credited this achievement to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, saying he stood behind energy department like a solid rock by extending thousands of crores of rupees assistance to improve power infrastructure, transmission and distribution systems across the state since he assumed office in June 2014. Chairmen and managing directors of TSSPDCL and TSNPDCL G. Raghuma Reddy and A. Gopal Rao addressed the media on Saturday.

“When Telangana state was formed, we faced a deficit of 2,700 MW. We are now ready to supply 15,000 MW with the power purchase agreements we have already entered into. All this was possible due to the un-stinted support given by the TS government for the past four years. It extended Rs 12,000 crore to improve power infrastructure, transmission and distribution systems. This year, we have already received Rs 7,885 crore so far in the form of subsidy and equity,” Mr Gopal Rao said.

The Union power ministry at its recent meeting in Delhi had lauded the TS Discoms for 24x7 free power supply and other achievements within a short span, Mr Raghuma Reddy said. “The Centre asked discoms of other states to emulate TS Discoms. They appreciated us for achieving good results in improving power infrastructure. We told them that it was possible due to the solid support given by the TS government,” he added. The Rural Electrificat-ion Corporation was also impressed by the performance of the TS Discoms and offered loan of Rs 2,400 crore at a lower interest rate of 9.65 per cent against its original 13 per cent.