CM asks APGenco to fast track projects

Chief minister K Rosaiah has directed the state-owned power generator APGenco to fast track all thermal, gas-based and hydel units for meeting the energy demand.

In a teleconference with energy principal secretary Suthirtha Bhattacharya and APGenco managing director K Vijayanand, he asked the officials to prepare time-bound schedule with clear milestones for the projects. The chief minister assured land, water and other infrastructure facilities on a priority to APGenco projects.

Currently, power distribution companies (Discoms) in the state supply about 231 million units (mu) meeting a peak demand of 10,726 Mw, the highest-ever despite a 30 per cent fall in hydel power production, as compared with 7,553 million units the previous year.

APGenco has embarked on adding 16,865 Mw in the next five years through 11 thermal, five hydel, two gas and one nuclear power projects. So far, it has added 1,037 Mw . Ten projects for 3,946 Mw are under construction and seven projects worth 11,882 MW are under development and planning stage.

The Andhra Pradesh government is awaiting clearance from Nuclear Power Corporation of India, which has agreed for a joint venture with APGenco for a 2,000 Mw nuclear power plant at Kadapa. About 2,000 acre land has been identified near Pulivendula in Kadapa for the project. The site selection committee recently submitted its report on the location.

Demand for power reached an all-time high of 263 mu on March 18, 16.4 per cent more than 226 mu on the same day last year. Discoms were purchasing 500 Mw (12 mu per day) from various sources to meet the demand. The average energy met in the state during February this year was 223.54 mu as against 209.42 Mu last year, up 6.7 per cent.