Telangana government, which has more than doubled its power generation since the formation of the State in 2014, is now geared to generate 28,400 MW in the next four to five years, Vice-Chairman State Planning Board B.Vinod Kumar said here on Thursday.
The total generation of power in 2014 was 7,780 MW and it now crossed 16,500 MW. For the proposed new power projects, all permissions had been secured and financial closure achieved.
Telangana has constructed major lift irrigation projects Kaleswaram and Palamur-Rangareddy Lift irrigation projects on Godavari and Krishhna which are not perennial rivers. Though some critics said that State was spending huge amounts on lift irrigation projects, he said that Telangana being in Deccan plateau had no other option but to lift water from both the rivers to cultivate one crore acres of land. It was the vision of Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao for the State, Mr. Vinod Kumar said.
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Bank loans
The government had already spent ₹70,000 crore raised through loans from public sector banks on Kaleswaram project and loans could be easily repaid with the outcome of sustainable irrigation facility to cultivate one crore acres. State would require power to lift water from both the rivers and provide irrigation to one crore acres and to engage 60% of population that was dependent on agriculture.
Mr.Vinod Kumar was the chief guest at the valedictory of the two-day all-India seminar on ‘Policies of Governments, Paradigms, Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Electrical Power in India’ organised by the Institution of Engineers (India), Telangana State Centre here on Thursday.
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Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation Janaiah said now people would not even tolerate 10 to 15 minute power cuts and thus the focus was on quality power. State achieved 100 MW of rooftop solar power generation and permission was given to generate up to 1 MW of rooftop solar power.
Electric vehicles
On promotion of infrastructure for electrical vehicles, he said 120 electric vehicle charging stations were planned in Hyderabad and another 19 in the smart cities of Karimnagar and Warangal with the emphasis on reducing pollution. Sites were identified for charging stations and feasibility study done and they would come up in two months.
Chairman of the Telangana Chapter of the Institution of Engineers (India) G.Rameshwar Rao, said State Chapter of IEI was playing an important role in dissemination of knowledge and latest developments in electrical engineering and other technology to budding engineers and engineering fraternity
Seminar recommendations
Chairman G.Tulasi Ram Das presented the seminar draft recommendations:
Train the staff of department concerned to promote awareness on rooftop solar power and extend the subsidies to masses for more adoption for household installations in tune with rising demand for power generation in view of urbanisation and industrialisation in the State.
For high rise buildings, it should be made mandatory to provide LED lighting along with rooftop solar power installation at the permission stage itself to reduce power consumption from the distribution companies.
Use of IoT practices extensively in services and also to initiate process of adopting smart technologies in the transmission and distribution network to minimise power theft for proper billing, operations and maintenance and replacing electrical equipment from time to time.
The seminar also recommended that public electrical vehicle charging stations be expedited to facilitate more electric vehicles to come on the roads to reduce the pollution levels, to encourage a consortium of academicians, State energy agencies and Institution of Engineers for exchange of ideas and extension of research and development services.
Vice Chairman State Planning Board Vinod Kumar said he would take the recommendations to the notice of Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao and the government.