Govt committed to 24x7 power supply: Energy secretary Nagulapalli Srikanth

Vijayawada: There is no shortage of power supply in the state and the state government is determined to ensure uninterrupted power supply to consumers, said energy secretary Nagulapalli Srikanth.

Speaking to media persons at the Secretariat on Saturday, the secretary said the government is supplying power for 9 hours during day time to 18 lakh agricultural pump sets through 6,663 feeders by bearing Rs 7,714 crore subsidy. In the current year, the government released Rs 9,717 crore as subsidy to agricultural sector.

Srikanth said the state government is determined to supply uninterrupted power to industries and commercial establishment. The government is successful in supplying power to hospitals and oxygen plants during Covid pandemic. The power usage at present stands at 204 million units (mu) as against 190 mu last year. Out of the total 204 million units, 170 mu are being supplied by APGenco, NTPC, Nyveli Lignite Corporation, nuclear power plants and private power plants and the remaining 34 mu is purchased from open market.

He said the state has been receiving 222 mw from private power plants, 125 mw from gas, hydel and wind power plants with the government buying 700 to 2,000 mw of power per day from open auction as per the long-term needs. The energy secretary said 1,000 mw of power will be supplied from HNPCL (Hinduja National Power Corp LTD) by March first week.

APGenco MD B Sridhar said the Vijayawada, Krishnapatnam, Rayalaseema Kadapa and Muddanuru thermal plants are producing 5,010 mw of power. He said the thermal plants need 60,000 metric tonne coal daily and the officials are monitoring the situation to prevent shortage of coal supply.

AP state energy conservation mission CEO Chandrasekhar Reddy is also present.