The Hindu Business Line : To meet shortfall during summer — AP to spend Rs 2 cr per day on power purchase

THE State Government will have to spend Rs 2 crore per day during the coming summer months to bridge the shortfall in power supply to domestic consumers, agriculture and industry.

As it is expected to cost the exchequer between Rs 150 and 200 crore for purchase of additional power, the Andhra Pradesh Transmission Corporation (APTransco) is interacting with national power utilities, including the Power Trading Corporation, for ensuring the required purchase.

The total energy proposed to be purchased worked out to about 1,200 MW from PTC, National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the central generating stations, according to a press release from APTransco on Wednesday.

The managements of APTransco and the power distribution companies (Discoms) reviewed the power supply position and detailed the steps to be taken. The power utilities in the State have also established a special mechanism with the top-level officials of APTransco to frequently interact with the national power utilities.

The Discoms are contemplating setting up permanent toll-free call centres in district headquarters to address the power-related grievances of farmers. At present round-the-clock call centres and control rooms to monitor the power supply situation at select places have been operationalised, the release said.

Attention would be paid to districts where energy demand was high like Ranga Reddy (11.41 million units), Nalgonda (10.8 mu), Medak (10.18 mu), West Godavari (7.39 mu), Chittoor (7.85 mu) and Cuddapah (6.61 mu). Special teams to assess the cropping pattern, power supply conditions, replacement of failed distribution transformers, etc., are underway.

The cumulative increase in agriculture demand during March 2004 is 109.36 mu, an increase of 9.21 per cent over last year. The hydel generation this year is 2,719 mu against the expected generation of 6,376 mu, a shortfall of 57.35 per cent.

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