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Journalism of Courage
For the third time this month, the state Government has announced more power cuts for cities and rural areas. The state-run Central Power Distribution Company of AP Limited has even issued an advisory to consumers to minimise their use of air conditioners, electric cookers etc, and opt for power saving tube lights. A once-a-week power holiday has also been forced uponnbsp;the industries, as the state reels under frequent and long power cuts.
The scanty rainfall has led to a fall in hydel power generation as well. The Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited APGENCO is the third largest power utility in the country in terms of its installed capacity 6760.9 MW. Its hydro installed capacity of 3586.4 MW is the highest in the country. However, the lack of rains has drastically reduced hydel power generation, leading to a crisis that only threatens to worsen as the dry spell continues.
The Met Department says that the situation may continue for some more days and unless cyclonic systems develop over the Bay of Bengal, the state will not receive adequate rainfall.
Energy department officials say that the present shortfall of 1000 MW will increase in the next couple of weeks, as rains have also failed in neighbouring areas due to which there is no fresh inflow in both the main rivers, Godavari and Krishna.
The thermal power plants are working at optimum capacity, generating 69.67 million units to fulfil a portion of the demand. Andhra Pradesh has six thermal power stations and 13 hydro power stations.
The huge gap in demand and supply is taking a heavy toll on the four distribution companies 8212; central, eastern, southern and northern 8212; that have sought drastic measures and have issued advisories to commercial establishments to minimise power consumption, asking them to switch-off neon signboards and decorative lights.
Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy reviewed the power situation on Saturday after which officials announced two to three-hour power cuts in municipal corporation areas, four-hour cuts in towns and seven hour-cuts in rural areas, besides a power holiday for industries.
However, the state Government has promised seven hours of uninterrupted power supply to the farm sector as a part of the poll promise. Sources say that to maintain supply to the farm sector the Government has gone for power cuts in cities and towns.
The central grid is also unable to fulfil the state8217;s power requirements, as all southern states are facing similar shortages and drawing power from there. The state is already buying 700 MW power from other states and has been spending Rs 10 crore per day for the last 12 days.
Besides cities and towns, the industry is bearing the brunt ofnbsp;unscheduled power cuts and emergency load-sheddings for the past three weeks. Production has been hit due to the daily power cuts, leading to protests from industry associations. The Federation of Small Industries Associations has suggested that instead of cutting power several times in a day, the Government should declare a weekly power holiday. Mohammed says that the state Government has accepted this proposal and industrial areas will have a power holiday on a rotation basis.
According to sources in the industry, this is the first time that the state faces such an acute power crisis in the last five years.
The state capital will have a power cut of two to three hours daily, while the Central Power Distribution Company Limited has been directed to enforce power holiday once a week in all the industries under its jurisdiction in and around Hyderabad.
