AP doubts power sharing between two States

Data of the past five years not taken into consideration, govt. writes to MoP

The government of Andhra Pradesh has, on Wednesday, written to the Union Ministry of Power, expressing objections over various aspects of allocation of power between the two newly-formed States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Prominent among the issues raised by the AP government is the allocation of shares from central power generating stations in the ratio of 53:8 and 46:2 between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. While the shares are to be arrived at based on the past five years’ consumption as per the AP Reorganisation Act, the government reportedly contended that they were determined solely by 2006-07 consumption figures.

“The Ministry itself has violated the Act by not taking into consideration the past five years’ data. We have brought it to the Central government’s notice,” a highly placed official source said.

The letter to MoP also disputed consumption as the criterion for allocation of power, citing Hyderabad as accounting for the maximum consumption merely by virtue of its status as capital city, sources informed.

Consumption in Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra Pradesh was curtailed over the past five years due to rampant load reliefs, and it cannot be taken as the actual consumption, the letter is said to have contended.

Other objections

The letter also raised objections over the Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana (TSSPDCL) still holding the power purchase agreements signed with Non-Conventional Energy (NCE) projects in Anantapur and Kurnool, even as both the districts have been shifted to SPDCL of Andhra Pradesh (APSPDCL) in the aftermath of bifurcation.

It is to be noted that the power from NCE projects is allocated based on their geographical location, as per a government order related to bifurcation.

This letter assumes significance in view of the ongoing turmoil over APGenco’s declaration that it is withdrawing from the PPAs signed with Discoms in the united State.

The Southern Regional Power Committee asked the State Load Despatch Centre to maintain status quo with regard to power sharing till the MoP resolves the issue.