VIJAYAWADA: The State government has devised an action plan to generate power from at least one turbine of the Polavaram hydel power project by 2020. The Energy Department officials said the plan would facilitate completion of at least three of the twelve 80 MW units by November 2021.
The entire 960-MW plant is expected to be ready for commissioning by March 2023. “The first three units will be ready by the end of 2021, while the last unit of the hydel power plant will be commissioned by May 2023. The project, with an estimated cost Rs 5,339 crore, will double the hydel power generation from the existing 2,336 MU (FY 2017-18) to 4,600 MY by 2022,” the officials informed Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in a teleconference on Sunday.
On the occasion, Naidu instructed the officials to explore the possibility of developing a reversible turbine power plant in Sileru basin as the one in Srisailam left bank has gone to Telangana after bifurcation of the State. He directed them to ensure that time-bound plans of action were implemented effectively as the rapid growth of State economy is expected to boost the power demand in the next few years.
In this context, he told Energy Minister K Kala Venkata Rao to increase the generation capacity of the power utilities as there is a strong correlation between power capacity and GDP growth. As of now, the total installed capacity of the State is 18,038 MW, out of which, APGENCO’s installed capacity is around 5,000 MW. “We had the track record of completing Srisailam left bank powerhouse within stipulated period, despite several hurdles. We have also completed Simhadri power plant. Both these projects helped the unified State. So, it is important for us to anticipate the future requirements,” he said.
The officials explained the works related to the fifth stage of Dr NTTPS, Vijayawada, and the second stage of Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah Thermal Power Station, Krishnapatnam, are going on as per the plan. Both the units, which will generate 800 MW each, will be ready by June, 2024.