AP's power need to cross 250 MUs/day this season

VIJAYAWADA: The energy demand of Andhra Pradesh is expected to cross 250 million units (MUs) a day this summer, which will be the highest so far in the state, said Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation (AP Genco) managing director K.V.N. Chakradhar Babu on Friday.

Reviewing the power situation after taking over as AP Genco MD and joint managing director, AP Power Transmission Corporation (AP Transco) on Friday, Chakradhar Babu said AP Genco will accelerate thermal generation to meet the increasing energy demand during the summer. He underlined that rising energy demand is a very good sign, as it indicates increased economic activity within the state.

“Ensuring efficient generation of power with better heat rate and optimisation of fuel resources will be our top priorities.  We will make efforts to adopt best practices, improve operational efficiency and reduce emissions,” he stated.  

The Genco MD appealed to all staff of power generation and transmission units to work together and meet the state government’s objective of providing 9 hours of power supply to agriculture during day time.

He thanked Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and energy minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy, apart from chief secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy and special chief secretary energy K. Vijayanand, for giving him the charge of AP Genco.

At the meeting, Genco officials explained that Sri Damodara Sanjeevaiah Thermal Power Station Stage-II (1 x 800MW) is now operational and will help meet the enhanced power demand this summer. Another 800 MW unit at Dr Narla Tata Rao Thermal Power Station will be operational this year.

AP Genco by itself meets 40–45 per cent of the grid demand, officials pointed out. They informed Chakradhar Babu that AP Genco is establishing 12 hydroelectric units of 80 MW capacity at Polavaram, the first seven units of which are likely to be commissioned in FY 2024–25 and the remaining in FY 2025–26.

Genco is planning to install two additional units of 115 MW each at Lower Sileru for generating additional power by July 2024, officials added