Hyderabad, June 22: Andhra Pradesh is aiming at achieving self-sufficiency in power sector in the next three years by stepping up power generation and taking up massive expansion of transmission and distribution networks in the next three years. This was stated by Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, while interacting with Finance Minister K Rosaiah and officials of the Energy Department on the issues to be discussed at the State Power Ministers’ Conference to be held at New Delhi on June 23. Rosaiah will be attending the conference on behalf of the Chief Minister, who holds the energy portfolio.
The Chief Minister asserted that the State Government was determined to supply the promised ninehour power supply in two phases to agriculture sector, notwithstanding unprecedented increase in demand for power. “We have to highlight our success story of providing free power supply to agriculture sector, without imposing any additional burden on other sectors,” Rajasekhara Reddy said.
The Chief Minister pointed out that in spite of the severe summer and seasons’ highest demand, not a single acre of crop was allowed to suffer for want of power and water. This was reflected in the unprecedented and record foodgrain production of over 204 lakh metric tonnes. “It would not have been possible, without adequate supply of power. The State had gone in for massive cross-subsidy to AP Transco to maintain normal supply to agriculture and domestic sector by resorting to purchase of power from wherever it was available during the severe summer,” he said.
Stating that power sector has been one of the growth engines for country’s economy, the Chief Minister said the AP Government had given top priority to development of power sector in the State.
With regard to power generation, Reddy admitted that the State could achieve a capacity addition of only 2,940 MW, as against the programmed capacity addition of 4257 MW during 10th Plan period. The low realisation of capacity addition was mainly due to failure in gas supply by State-owned fuel suppliers.
Till now around 2,000 MW of capacity was lying idle for want of gas. With regard to strengthening of T&D network, the Chief Minister said Central Government’s decision to create National Electricity Fund with Rs 1 lakh crore was a boon for powe r infrastructure growth in the country.
He asked Rosaiah to take up, at the Power Ministers’ Conference, early disbursement of funds under the new scheme so that the projects in T&D sector could be completed as per schedule.
CMD, APTRANSCO, Suthirtha Battacharya informed the Chief Minister that, in the next five years, as many as 1,764 substations of 33/11 KV capacity, 26,088 km of 33 KV lines, 1,91,048 km of 11 KV lines, 1,05,827 km of LT lines, 3,36,807 distribution transformers and another 1,64,74,032 DTRs of 15 KV capacity would be added.
The State would also request the Centre to reduce the population criteria from 30,000 to 10,000 for rural electrification works under Rajiv Gandhi Grameena Vidyut Yojana progrmme, since unit of administration in AP is the mandal.
The Chief Minister said the performance of the power sector in Andhra Pradesh was remarkable and was reflected in the various awards conferred on the power utilities. The State has been consistently rated as Number 1 in the country by CRISIL for three years, he pointed out.
–Agencies–