AP Chambers urges govt to solve power problems

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation (AP Chambers) in a representation submitted to Energy Secretary B Sreedhar, appealed to the State government to safeguard the interest of the trade and industry by supplying power to them. The Chambers elaborated on the measures to be taken by the State government to safeguard industries in view of the recent power-related issues in the State.

It may be recalled that the government imposed 50% load relief for continuous process industries and one day in a week in addition to Sunday that is treated as power holiday with restrictions on usage between 6 pm to 6 am for the non-continuous process industries for a fortnight.

The AP Chambers requested the government to consider buying power from independent power producers (IPPs) or allow the industry to buy from the IPPs directly by clearing procedural bottlenecks. The Chambers also requested the government to explore opportunities to buy power from surplus States. The Industry should be given freedom to buy power from any IPP within the state without levying unviable charges and penalties and it should be given free hand to establish captive power generation units in order to overcome power crisis in future. The State government should come up with a captive power generation policy which will make it more self-reliant in the long term.

The government can establish mega solar parks and the generated power can be supplied to the industry on a cost to cost basis to support and attract new industries. To help MSMEs tide over this problem, the limit of one MW capacity to go for open access may be reduced to 500 KVA. The Chambers appealed to the Government to reconsider its decision regarding power holiday for one day and another day for maintenance together with 12 hrs a day restriction, resulting in four and half non-working days as industries are not in a position to afford this. Currently, the lighting load is allowed, but it should be allowed at a minimum 15% on the contracted load either on Power Holiday or 6 pm to 6 am during the other days.