Andhra Pradesh: Power consumers told to switch off ACs

Amaravati: With the coal levels getting depleted pushing the State towards a power crisis, APTransco CMD and Secretary, Energy department, N Srikant has appealed to the consumers to avoid using air-conditioners during peak hours from 6 am to 9 am and 6 pm to 10 pm.

This would help in easing the burden on the power sector. Due to an increase in power consumption during the post-Covid, the government was forced to purchase power at Rs 15 per unit as against Rs 4 in September, he said.

Speaking to the media, the Energy Secretary said the coal reserves in APGenco thermal plants would last for another two days resulting in a 50 per cent drop in power production. "Though the State Government is ready to purchase power by paying additional money, power is not available in the open market. Of the total 135 thermal power plants, 128 plants in the country are facing severe coal shortage. From 24,000 to 40,000 tonnes of coal is being supplied to Genco power plants per day against a total demand of 70,000 tonnes per day," he said.

The Energy Secretary said the State Government has been making efforts to protect the power sector and extended financial assistance of Rs 34,340 crore. "Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy wrote a letter to the Prime Minister seeking improvement in coal supplies. The State Government has been making efforts to prevent interruptions in power supply," he said.