Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has asked officials of power utilities to prepare plans taking into account a likely surge in demand for energy in the State from next year with the commissioning of lift irrigation projects, Mission Bhagiratha drinking water scheme and new industries.
At a meeting with the officials of power utilities and the Energy Department, the CM said there would be an additional demand in the range of 10,000 MW to 12,000 MW as several lift irrigation projects on Gadavari and Krishna rivers are coming up. Besides, energy is also required for 1,300 pumps under Mission Bhagiratha.
Appreciating efforts of power utilities’ employees in bringing the State out of power crisis, he said supplying 24×7 power to agriculture sector from 2018 would be a proud moment not only for power utilities but the State Government too.
Minister for Energy G. Jagdish Reddy, Chief Advisor to Government Rajiv Sharma, Special Chief Secretary Ajay Misra, Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director of TS-Transco and Genco D. Prabhakar Rao, CMDs of Southern and Northern Power Distribution Companies G. Raghuma Reddy and A. Gopal Rao, respectively and Transco JMD C. Srinivasa Rao attended the meeting.
Division of power
Mr. Rao suggested the officials to divide power supply into five categories such as agriculture, lift irrigation plus Mission Bhagiratha, commercial, domestic and industrial, and estimate their individual demand. “We have to provide uninterrupted power to 23 lakh pump sets in the State from January 1, 2018. There are unauthorised pump sets too and as a result, there will be more demand during summer,” he noted.
Although most economists are against subsidy on power to farming sector, the CM said he was not in agreement. Power subsidy would be increased from ₹4,777 crore to ₹5,400 crore to ensure 24-hour free power supply to the farm sector. If need be, the government is ready to spare another ₹500 crore too, he stated.
Uninterrupted supply
The CMD of TS-Transco/ Genco said the employees were working relentlessly towards the objective of providing uninterrupted power supply to all sectors. He explained to Mr. Rao that the measures taken to improve quality of power supply had reduced transformer failures from 30% to 4% and the distribution losses had also been brought down to 16% from 18%.
