Andhra CM on power problem

Govt to finalise bids for setting up solar power plants soon

Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday said a proposed addition of 3,240 Mw to coal-fired thermal power generation by next year besides a parallel effort to encourage solar and wind energy projects would ease the power supply situation in the state going forward.

Replying to a discussion on the power crisis in the legislative Assembly, Reddy said in spite of the unprecedented demand in growth and sharp fall in gas-based power generation, the government was able to maintain the supply at a satisfactory level through purchase of additional power.

Even after a near 20 million unit (mu) dip in gas power generation, the power utilities were able to meet 245.63 mu average demand per day in the current month as compared with 255 mu in the same period last year, he said.

Among various short-term measures, the government was also purchasing naphtha and RLNG to generate around 450 Mw from idle capacity of gas- based power projects at a cost of Rs 12.50 per unit, he said. This is in addition to short-term purchases of 1,200 Mw tied up for the current year.

The opposition parties, however, blamed the government for the power situation and also alleged that the utilities were not providing the 7-hour supply to the farm sector as claimed by the government.

The chief minister said the situation would become normal as an additional capacity of 2,200 Mw by APGenco and a 1,040 Mw project of Hinduja group would go on stream by next year. While the government would shortly finalise the bids for setting up solar power plants with a total installed capacity of 1,000 Mw in the state, it is also trying to bring another 550 Mw in wind energy in the next one year, according to him.

The government has also created a new policy of allowing roof-top solar power generation with net-meter reading by which the households can pump extra power into the grid.