All sections of consumers in the
State are set to face additional power cuts which may go up to four hours in
the twin cities and other major cities, up from two hours announced earlier.
Industrial consumers may face up to two-day power holiday as also for rural
areas and farm sector.
The demand and supply mismatch
has been aggravated with coal supplies from the State-owned Singareni
Collieries Company Ltd coming in as a trickle, leading to very low thermal
generation and gas supplies hardly enough to run gas plants at full capacity.
The coal procured from
neighbouring States particularly Orissa and Chattisgarh, through MCL Ltd and
SECL, by the NTPC and AP Genco is not adequate to run all the plants.
With the ongoing agitation 'Sarva
Janula Samme' and non-cooperation for separate Statehood of Telangana crippling
business and movement of people due to the general strike and miners in
non-cooperation mode, the power supply situation is set to worsen at least till
the general strike call is withdrawn and Singareni miners resume work.
In spite of additional power
purchases ranging from 1,000 mw to 1,500 mw through Central generating
stations, independent power producers and bilateral arrangements with other
States, the State is faced with a shortage of up to 30-40 million units day. The
demand from the farm sector to run pump sets during the ongoing kharif season
is up. Power cuts are scheduled ranging from 6 to 10 hours in rural areas. But
sometimes, this has been unscheduled depending upon the days' supply situation.
The Government efforts to
encourage Singareni miners to get back to work by inducing them with higher
wages and incentives has received a mixed response, with a section of miners
getting back and others staying away. Several of the AP Genco thermal assets
and NTPC Ramagundam project depend on Singareni mines.
Further, the supply of power is
hindered due to congestion in the transmission corridors between southern
States. AP Transco is making efforts for advanced purchase and evacuation, but
the situation remains grim for the time being with all sections faced with
additional power scheduling.
Source- BL
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