Power Cuts For Industries in AP Withdrawn

KAKINADA: In a major relief to the industry sector in AP, the power distribution companies have withdrawn the power cut and announced that power would be supplied without any interruption. Earlier, the companies have decided to impose power cut to the industries for 10 days from Sept 5 to 15 due to shortage of power for want of sufficient rainfall. The officials said there was high demand for power in August.

Following a crisis in power supply to AP Electricity Grid, the state Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) has given permission to the Eastern Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (APEPDCL) to impose power cuts on industries for 10 days. But on Sunday, a total of 206.5 million units of power was supplied.

Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are  also facing severe power shortages due to lack of rains. To protect the grid and monitor the power supply, the EPDCL decided to impose a 30 per cent power cut for continuous process industries and, from 6pm to 6am for non-continuous process industries.

A day a week was to be observed as “Power Holiday’’. But there was an exemption to bulk-drug, pharmaceutical and medical oxygen supply firms as also the rice milling units.

Now, however, due to the heavy rainfall for the past two days, the companies have withdrawn  the power cut and power supplied to normal manner.  

“Generally, there is an increase in the demand for power consumption in April and May, with a 7 to 8 per cent growth. But, due to scanty rainfall, this August was the driest month in the country in a span of the last 121 years (1901). Power consumption has been increased to 18 per cent.

“The agricultural power consumption has abnormally increased in August due to lack of rains. The levels of wind and hydel power generation have drastically fallen. This led to a difficulty in meeting the demand. We thought of imposing power cuts to the industrial sector. Fortunately, for the past two days, the state experienced good rains and in view of the forecast for more rains for another two weeks in September, we are confident of lifting the power cut,” said APEPDCL chairman and MD, Prjudhvitej Immadi.

Meanwhile, the Distribution Companies announced that about 40 millions of units of power would be purchased at a cost of Rs.9.10 per unit up to September 15 from the short time market.