Energy Department ready to meet summer demand: Minister

Vijayawada: The State government is investing Rs 15,000 crore to enhance the power generation capacity by 2,560 MW to meet the demand for power by 2022, according to Energy Minister Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao. 

He said the present installed capacity is 17,520 MW and it will be increased to 20,080 MW in four years.  The Minister on Thursday conducted a review meeting with the Energy department officials here on power production and demand in the State and later spoke to the media.

The energy department is ready to meet the demand of power consumers this summer, he said. The Minister said that instructions were given to the Genco to maintain sufficient coal stocks to operate thermal power stations at their rated capacities. He said there was no intention of increasing power tariff to the power consumers in the State.

Giving details of proposed new units, the Minister said one unit of 800 MW wouldl be built in NTTPS at Vijayawada, one unit of 800 MW at Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah Thermal Power Station (SDSTPS) in Nellore district and another 960 MW unit (12 x 80 MW) at Polavaram Project.

He said the installation capacity will be increased to over 20,000 MW by 2022.  Giving details of power generation in the state, Venkata Rao said the power production was 9529 MW in the financial year 2014-15 and increased to 17,520 MW by financial year 2017-18 with growth of 84 per cent in the last three years.

Stating that the daily energy demand is around 185 million units in the State, he said the department would increase power generation and ensure power supply to all consumers this summer. The Minister said priority was being given to agriculture sector and subsidy to agriculture utilities had gone up from Rs 3,186 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 6,030 crore for the year 2018-19.

Stating that the energy department had received 87,000 applications for agriculture connections for the year 2018-19, he announced that new connections will be given by July, 2018. 

He said that the government has been supplying 14 lakh units of power to SC, ST consumers including 75 units free for every house. Referring to electric vehicles, he said the Chief Minister was encouraging eco-friendly and pollution-free electric vehicles in the state.

He said one lakh electric vehicles will be procured in phases. "Cost for running an electric vehicle is very low at 89 paise per km against Rs 4.40 for vehicles run by fuel," he pointed out.