AP to kickstart energy saving campaign

The Andhra Pradesh government would be stepping up its energy conservation campaign across the state after Sankranti in the light of severe power shortage, according to A Chandra Sekhar Reddy, CEO of state energy conservation mission.

Though the growing supply-demand mismatch is a nationwide phenomena, the situation in the state has partly been aggravated as 7,000 Mw out of the total installed capacity of 16,000 Mw remains idle, he said at a conference on energy conservation on Tuesday.

Gas power stations have been generating only 514 Mw as against the total installed capacity of 2,767 Mw for want of natural gas followed by 690 Mw by hydro electric stations having a total installed capacity of 3,829 Mw. About 1,258 Mw under thermal projects (5,093 Mw) also remains idle, according to a statement.

The situation is expected to ease by next year since APGenco is planning to add about 3,000 Mw in additional capacity apart from an additional corridor to southern grid that would be available by that time to enable purchases from outside, the statement said.

The unrestricted demand in the state has touched 300 million units (mu) during the current winter season too as compared with the actual supply of 228.46 mu.

The campaign will focus on the advantages of high star rated electric appliances and replacement of conventional lamps with CFLs and LEDs among other things.