HYDERABAD: BRS MLA and former minister Harish Rao on Saturday questioned how the figures mentioned in the state power sector white paper, the recently released “Clean and Green Energy Policy 2025,” and the data shared in the deputy chief minister’s PowerPoint presentation could all contradict each other.
He asked whether Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, even after completing two years as deputy chief minister and power minister, had any basic understanding of his own department’s data.
Countering the presentation, Harish Rao said, “In the White Paper, the solar capacity as on December 1, 2023 was mentioned as 6,123 MW and the total contracted capacity as 19,475 MW. However, in the Clean and Green Energy Policy, released on January 11, the installed capacity is stated as 5,415 MW, and upcoming capacity as 2,474 MW, totaling only 7,889 MW.” He asked how solar capacity could decrease from 6,123 MW in 2023 to 5,415 MW in 2025. “Did the capacity reduce over time?” he asked.
Harish also alleged that there is a mismatch in thermal power generation targets. He said: “The same policy says Telangana’s contracted capacity is 26,212 MW. It targets 49,104 MW by 2029-30 and 66,694 MW by 2034-35. According to the same document, by 2034-35, Telangana aims to generate 16,966 MW of thermal power. But in a recent Cabinet note, the government proposed building 2,400 MW of new thermal plants.”
He questioned why the government ignored 1,600 MW of NTPC power available under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act and instead rushed into 2,400 MW projects only to benefit from a Rs 50,000 crore scam. While the policy says 14,164 MW of thermal power is already available, the government is now claiming a shortage of 5,000-6,000 MW. Based on their own policy, the actual shortfall should only be 2,802 MW, Harish pointed out.
He recalled that Congress leaders once criticised the Yadadri plant and proposed a thermal plant near Makthal instead. “If Yadadri was wrong then, how is Makthal right now?” he questioned.