Power generation capacity in the State is currently about 15,000 MW (from all sources), and is unlikely to increase significantly till 2013–end.
On Wednesday evening, the actual generation was only 7,458 MW giving no respite to the industries or domestic sector.
The only new ones likely to get commissioned by 2013-end are 500 MW second unit at Bhoopalapalli and 1,600 MW (2X800 MW) of AP Genco at Krishnapatnam and another 350 MW to 400 MW also may get added through thermal/gas generation in private sector in Nellore district.
Before this new generation capacity gets added, the distribution companies in the State will be hard pressed to manage with the current installed capacity and heavily depend on the rain gods to help fill all the major reservoirs so that hydro-electric projects bring generation.
Demand during Kharif will increase phenomenally with monsoon rains lashing several parts of the State. Nursery activity has begun in some pockets and the distribution companies see a sharp increase in demand immediately from areas where they depend on bore wells, said SPDCL of AP Chief Engineer K. Rajabapaiah.
Currently out of 5,132 MW of thermal generation capacity production was only 3,675 MW; out of 3,790 MW of hydroelectric generation installed capacity only 242 MW was being produced in Machkund and Lower Sileru, from 2,400 MW of private gas-based units 1,274 MW was coming; from gas-based joint venture projects of Genco at Vijjeswaram another 272 MW is produced, but that too was yielding 154 MW. The State quota from Central power grid is 3,435 MW, but it was receiving only 2,113 MW.
Commissioning of Koodankulam Nuclear Power project in Tamil Nadu might help the State buy some power from other states and get it evacuated through power grid transmission lines. The capacity of these lines has been booked by Tamil Nadu prior to AP, which leads to a situation where though power is available, but the State cannot bring it here.
