Power crisis hits AP hard

The Government of Andhra Pradesh is making efforts to purchase power from other States to tide over the present power crisis.

According to official sources, there has been unprecedented demand for power in the State as the temperatures have been rising. Sources in power utilities said that shortage of coal across the country had also added to their woes. The Discoms have met a demand of 218.92 MU of power as on April 30. The power utilities claim that they have been buying power from the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) at Rs 2.49 per unit. They said that despite the power shortage, they have been ensuring power for domestic and agriculture needs.

Energy Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, who held a teleconference on power issues, said: "The prevailing power shortage is only a temporary phenomenon. The state does not have a coal pit and has to depend on Singareni coal mines in neighbouring states of Telangana, and Mahanadi in Odisha." He further said that though the state government was ready to buy power from wherever it was available, there is a shortage across the country. The situation could improve a little once the wind power generation begins somewhere towards the end of May. He further said that efforts were on to commission the Krishnapatnam phase-2 800 MW thermal plant by June.