Kurnool, Anantapur producing 4,000 mw green power

Anantapur: Kurnool and Anantapur districts together are producing 4000 mw of green power. Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu the other day had a word of praise for the district which is producing 3000 mw of power. He said that there is no power shortage problem and that the district is producing power on a mega scale to cater to any number of new industrial projects. 

• The power generation includes solar and wind power
• Another 1000 mw of power production (solar and wind) is expected after the completion of ongoing projects in the 2 districts

New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of AP (NREDCAP) which is promoting green energy on a massive scale was instrumental in producing 1,460 mw of wind power and 457.9 megawatts of solar power.  

National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) which signed a memorandum of understanding with the state government for establishing a 1000 mw solar power generation plant at NPKunta near Kadiri has already been producing 250 mw of solar power in the first phase.

It is expected to produce 1000 mw of solar power by the end of 2018.  Four other developers are producing 41.9 mw bringing the total to 291.9 mw.  In addition to these, 62 wind power promoters were producing 1,460 mw of wind power by March 2017. Anantapur alone is producing about 3000 mw, which is a combination of wind and solar energy.

Dubbed as green corridor, Rayalaseema particularly Kurnool and Anantapur will have a total power generation of 4000 megawatts, 1000 mw in Kurnool and 3000 mw in Anantapur districts. The district will witness an additional power generation of another 1000 mw after the completion of the existing projects. 

NREDCAP is overseeing establishment of Power Pooling Stations(PPS) at Kambaduru, Madancheruvu,Borampalle and other places to facilitate grid connection so that the power pooled from the sub-station areas could be transferred to the 220 kv sub-station at Borampalle and from there to the 400 kv sub-station at Uravakonda. 

NREDCAP district manager Kodandarama Murthy told 'The Hans India' that 30 years ago AP was brushed aside as a ‘no wind state’ but today it is producing 3000 mw of wind power out of the Union government’s national target of 10,000 mw. 

Among the several players, Suzlon group, Gamesha, Inox, Wind World, Regen Power Tech, General Engineering, Tata and BHEL are major ones in wind power generation. There are solar and wind projects in Kalyandurg, Uravakonda, Kadiri and Ramagirimandals. 

 Andhra Sugars of the industrialist MullapaudiHarischandra Prasad was the first person to set up a 3 mw wind power project at Ramagiri, followed by many others groups including BHEL, APSRTC, Navabharath Group, Deccan Cements, Rayalaseema Paper Mills, BSM Spinning Mills, Priyadarshini and ILFS groups. Altogether, they produce 51.74 mw of power and supplying the same to the Power Grid. 

By Ravi P Benjamin