Andhra Pradesh Power utilities directed to submit action plan for kharif season

Vijayawada: As part of efforts to ensure uninterrupted power supply during monsoon season, the State government has directed power utilities to submit an action plan to meet possible peak demand in the kharif season. The focus should on upgrading agriculture feeders to ensure free power to 100 per cent feeders.

Secretary for Energy Srikant Nagulapalli, during the teleconference with senior officers of the Energy Department on Wednesday, directed all Chief Engineers to submit the completion certificates of periodic and preventive pre-monsoon maintenance activities.

Stating that the government was giving highest priority for 24x7 power supply and 9- hour free power supply to agriculture sector during daytime and though the power utilities are in a quite comfortable position to meet the demand, Srikant said Minister for Energy Balineni Srinivasa Reddy had emphasised the need of submitting an action plan to meet the possible peak demand in the kharif season.

The Secretary also directed the officials to complete the upgradation of agriculture feeders by the beginning of ensuing rabi season to ensure free power to 100 per cent of agriculture services. The power utilities are now ready to supply free power to 82 per cent of feeders during the karif season.

He further asked officials to ensure every power transformer (PTR) and feeder work perfectly and complete the other maintenance works that were underway, including pre-monsoon inspection of lines, periodical testing and maintenance of the equipment in the sub-stations and tree branch cutting etc., should be completed within this week.

Srikanth further suggested that effective arrangements should be made for attending to the emergencies or break downs duly ensuring the availability of required spares and T&P(Tools & Plants) for the lines and sub-stations.

Officials informed the secretary that some new sub-stations were commissioned, and transmission lines were erected and charged to meet the increase in demand during the summer and to maintain reliable/ un-interrupted power supply to the consumers.