YSR urges power firms to up coal stocks

Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy has asked power generating companies to increase coal stocks in order to supply them to thermal projects. The plants using naphtha, whose price has declined to Rs 24,000 a tonne from Rs 74,000 a tonne a few months ago, should draw up plans to reach optimum capacity, he added.

Reviewing the energy department activities, he said power plants should continue to use naphtha or coal till gas was made available to them.

Naphtha suppliers were ready to supply to the power projects on a long-term basis, he informed pointing out that the demand for power had been on the rise. Currenlty, the demand per day is around 194 million units compared with 154 million units per day during the same period last year.

The chief minister also asked officials to ensure seven-hour power supply for agriculture. There should not be power cuts, load relief for domestic, business and industrial sectors.

Power can be purchased from other states to meet the demand, he told the officials asking them to prepare a plan of action in four days.