Govt seeks Rs 3,014-cr aid for power 'feeder segregation project'

The Andhra Pradesh government has requested the Centre to consider the feeder segregation project (FSP) as a rural-friendly project by providing financial assistance to the tune of Rs 3,014 crore, either under the National Electricity Fund or Restructured Rajiv Gandhi Grameena Vidyut Yojana (R-RGGCVY), so as to implement it “to provide quality and continuous supply to rural areas” by the distribution companies (discoms) as was done by some other states.

FSP involves erecting parallel rural distribution network of 11 kV feeder spanning 150,766 km to segregate the existing 8,880 mixed rural feeders. According to a scientific study conducted by the state energy department, the project requires capital expenditure of about Rs 3,014 crore.

 

“The state government is keen to strengthen and support the power sector to achieve overall economic development of the state,” Dinesh Kumar, principal secretary to the energy department, said in a press release on Sunday.

The state discoms would be yielding benefits through FSP, which include reduction in the distribution losses, better monitoring and accountability of energy input and supply hours to farmers, and more stable load patterns among rural consumers. Besides, the discoms would be able to optimise the power purchase requirements.

The distribution companies had already implemented a pilot project in one mandal in each circle, which was funded internally by them. The mandals for the pilot implementation were chosen such that they are closer to the district headquarters and have predominantly agriculture consumption.