HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy has cleared a proposal made by the AP Transco to increase the discharge of water from Srisailam Dam for higher power generation to tackle the present power shortage.

This followed a presentation by AP Transco CMD Rachel Chatterjee, on the seriousness of the shortage at a review meeting here on Wednesday.

Accordingly, the quantum released from the dam, presently restricted to 12,000 cusecs, will be increased by about 5,000 cusecs depending on the peak-hour needs. The utility, however, faces no such restriction regarding the releases to be made from Nagarjunasagar as, any discharge from here will be used by the Vijayawada Thermal Station and Krishna delta. At preset, a maximum of 4,000 cusecs is being released from this dam for power generation.

`Ensure 7-hr-supply'

With the rabi agriculture load rising steeply, the power demand in the State remains at 167 million units per day even as the Transco is straining every nerve to avoid the cuts.

In addition to the output available from internal sources, the Transco is overdrawing nearly 8 million units per day from the southern grid, paying a heavy amount of Rs 30 crores a week. A press note issued by the Transco said, another 6 MU is being purchased from Tamil Nadu.

The Chief Minister is stated to have asked the Transco officials to ensure seven-hour power supply to the agriculture pumpsets "at any cost," if necessary, by imposing cut or by resorting to staggered supply to other sectors.

He was told that the position would improve once the rabi peak was over by March-end or by mid-April.

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