The Union Urban Development Ministry’s initiative to join forces with the Energy Efficiency Services Limited to improve energy use in the urban local bodies has evoked mixed response from the power utilities of the two Telugu States.
The Union Ministry had entered into a memorandum of understanding with the EESL that is aimed at tapping Rs. 6,000 crore annually by promoting energy efficiency measures in the urban local bodies. Public lighting systems and operation of water supply schemes in urban areas form the focus areas of the initiative as the two consume close to 1,150 MW a year across the country.
Enthusiastic response
The MoU evoked an enthusiastic response from power utilities of Andhra Pradesh which were in the forefront for energy efficiency measures. The State had witnessed replacement of more than five lakh traditional streetlights with the energy-efficient LED bulbs, ensuring saving in excess of Rs. 100 crore a year in public lighting alone. The State had already embarked upon replacement of traditional pumpsets with energy-efficient ones.
The EESL’s assurance to provide/arrange for project funding would facilitate procurement of latest technological equipment for implementing the scheme. “The MoU will ensure signing of tripartite agreement between the State government, urban local bodies and the EESL. The implementation of the scheme will not be a burden on the municipality/corporation as the costs can be borne out of the savings achieved,” Andhra Pradesh Energy, Infrastructure and Investment department principal secretary Ajay Jain told The Hindu .
The Telangana power utilities are, however, sceptical about the claims on energy savings on the ground that the projected savings were “hypothetical”.
“There has been no conclusive proof of energy savings as projected having been achieved. There has been no experiment conducted on this so far,” was how a senior official of the Telangana power utilities commented. He said the doubts on the efficiency could be seen from the fact that the replacement of the traditional equipment by the three and five star rated ones had shown no big change in the consumption pattern. The costs of these equipment were, however, much higher when compared to the traditional equipment imposing additional burden on the consumers.
Special drive
He asserted that the power utilities had taken up a drive to replace all the public lighting within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits and this would be extended to other areas in the due course. “We have to assess the savings we can achieve once the replacement is completed in the GHMC limits,” he said.
AP power utilities adopt energy efficiency measures while TS is sceptical of claims on energy savings
