The electricity distribution companies in Andhra Pradesh laid renewed emphasis on increasing metered sales and tie loose ends to make profits like their counterparts in Gujarat and other States. The discoms in Andhra Pradesh are the best in the country in operational parameters, but fare poorly when it comes to reducing losses.
Instructions have been issued by the Energy Secretary Ajay Jain to the chairpersons of Southern and Eastern discoms for replacing all obsolete meters with IRDA (infrared data acquisition), curbing pilferage, which is high in aquaculture sector, and geo-tagging agricultural service connections.
Besides, real-time monitoring of feeders and transformers is sought to be made foolproof by installing new modems in the place of faulty ones and going for a period overhaul of the systems.
While sprucing up the infrastructure (hardware) and updating the software, the discoms have been asked to prepare manuals on the contingency measures to be taken during cyclones and floods. In this regard, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu wanted standard operating procedures to be evolved to be better prepared to face the natural calamities. Adequate numbers of transformers, poles and other material are sought to be the stocked for quick restoration.
A total of 18 33/11 KV substations and eight 33 KV feeders were affected so far in the State by the floods. Meanwhile, the discoms have been asked not to keep any applications for industrial connections pending in view of the importance of ready power and, if necessary, give new services on a turnkey basis, where the consumers can get wiring and necessary installations done on their own with the help of certified contractors to save on time.
