Hyderabad, October 05: Following Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s request to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to come to the rescue of Andhra Pradesh facing severe power shortage, and as per the Prime Minister’s directions, Eastern Grid will be providing 800 mw power from 11 pm to 6 am and Haryana Government will be providing 200 mw round the clock from Jhajjar power plant.
The Chief Minister thanked the Prime Minister and also the Eastern Power Grid and Haryana Government for the gesture in providing power to the State at a very critical phase. The Chief Minister directed the officials of the Energy Department to take immediate action accordingly.
It may be recalled here that the Chief Minister spoke to the Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Pulok Chatterjee over telephone on Monday night and also the Prime Minister earlier and sought additional power particularly to save the standing crops. The Chief Minister explained to the Prime Minister the precarious situation in the NTPC and other thermal power plants in Andhra Pradesh due to coal shortage because of the ongoing strike in Singareni Collieries. The Chief Minister explained that the State Government is striving every nerve to generate as much power as possible from the hydro power projects, gas-based units, non-conventional energy sources, purchases from outside and procuring power from other grids.
The Chief Minister also explained that Agricultural sector in Andhra Pradesh is passing through a crucial phase and if power supply at the present level is not ensured there is danger of the standing crop getting damaged. The State Government is trying out all permutations and combinations to see that while the standing crop is saved, common people are also not put to any difficulties by ensuring present level of power supply to agriculture sector and power supply to domestic sector from 6 pm to 6 am without any trippings.
The Chief Minister also requested the Ministry of Power, Government of India for allocation of additional 500 MW unallocated from Central Generation Stations (CGS) to Andhra Pradesh. Government of India have allocated 185 MW additional power so far. Ministry of Power, Government of India was requested to allocate additional 300 MW from Central Generating Stations of Southern Region.
The Chief Minister informed that NTPC Ramagundam is generating only 1400 MW out of 2600 MW. Similarly, NTPC Simhadri is generating 1300 MW against 1500 MW. NTPC of Ramagundam and Simhadri should generate to full capacity by getting coal from other coal companies other than Singareni. Government of Andhra Pradesh have requested for diversion of 1.3 MMSCMD of gas of GMR Vemagiri which is under shut down since 17.9.2011 to other gas-based projects in Andhra Pradesh so as to generate additional 350 MW. Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) meeting has to be convened by Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India for diversion of above gas. The Chief Minister also requested the Ministry of Coal to allocate additional 2 lakh tonnes from Western Coal Fields to APGenco.
——Agencies