There is an urgent need to increase power generation for industrial growth as well as overall development of the country, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry D Purandeswari on Sunday.
“There was a big gap between demand and supply in the power sector and the shortage was hitting the industrial growth in the country,” the Minister said.
She was speaking after inaugurating the 2X30 MW captive power plant under the Simhadri Power Ltd (SPL), promoted by Steel Exchange India Ltd at Srirampuram in Viziangaram district on Sunday.
The Minister also underlined the need for renewable energy production in the country as the coal reserves are fast depleting.
Ms. Purandeswari said 30 countries in the world are depending on nuclear power and it is the responsibility of the governments and intellectuals to clear the apprehensions and fear among the people on use of nuclear power.
Though the Andhra Pradesh was facing severe power shortage, the state government was striving hard to provide quality power to the consumers and agricultural sectors besides providing power to the industrial sector, she said.
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee President B Satyanarayana appreciated the efforts of the management of the Steel Exchange of India to take up welfare programmes in the backward area of the district.
Company’s Managing Director B Satish Kuamr said they have installed 66 MW thermal power plant with a capital investment of Rs 315 crore, which will cater to the needs of the plant.
He said the Simhadri Power would supply 51 per cent of the power generated for captive consumption by the units of the Steel Exchange, as per the arrangement entered by the company with SPL and the balance would be exported through merchant sale.
Earlier, Union Minister of State for Coal Pratik Patil inaugurated the coal handling plant at the power plant premises.
Keywords: India's power needs, Simhadri Power Ltd, industrial development, renewable energy production, Purandeswari
Think about some assumptions made here.
Firstly, that we need lots of energy for industrial growth assumes that we need such industrial growth. India still lives in her villages and our growth cannot come by displacing folks from villages to build power plants or steel mills. We need to adopt appropriate technology to grow industries with a "human face" in human scale, not monstrous scale.
Secondly, even if we need so much energy, why go nuclear, which has been rejected by leading nations - US, Germany and Japan. Decentralize power generation. Every roof top, every village can generate power. Nature has solutions (solar, wind, small hydel, bio-gas) we should listen to.
Let us develop an Indian model of growth well-fitting with Indian realities.
The Minister aptly highlighted the need for more power generation to satisfy the growing requirements. She referred to "the responsibility of the governments and intellectuals to clear the apprehensions and fear among the people on use of nuclear power." Regrettably,large sections of intellectuals are apparently against nuclear power.Political parties must come forward and call a spade a spade.Mostly, scientists are less equipped to communicate.There are many young progressive leaders in all political parties.They must take a stand above party lines.Encourage decentralized renewable power sources by all means.But none can ignore the uniqueness of nuclear power as a source of base load electricity. Let scientists and engineers spend time developing the technologies. Let others including political parties support them in their mission. Strengthen the regulatory body and promote nuclear safety
Lots of electricity lying about on everyone's roofs. Only this government should allow
the entry of modern solar techniques to tap into this FREE fuel. No use wasting money
on missiles and other unusable military paraphernalia, as countries such as U.S. and
China are way way ahead of us in these matters and can wipe us out in a flash. Better
to get along with the neighbors and do business with them in importing any new
technologies they have to offer in the power production area. With gas, petrol, diesel
constantly spiraling higher and higher and leaving us in small towns in dire straits,
Free fuel technologies are the only hope for our future
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