VIJAYAWADA: Energy Secretary Srikant Nagulapalli has stated that the State government is taking progressive steps to bail out the power sector from the unprecedented financial crisis and make it financially robust to supply cost-effective and quality power to consumers. The Energy Department is working on a comprehensive action plan for the purpose, besides adopting advanced technology and improving power infrastructure in the State, he said.
Speaking at a programme in Nellore on Sunday to commemorate Engineer’s Day, marking the birth anniversary of Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, the Energy Secretary said since the development of the State is linked with the power sector, the government is firm on generating and supplying power on cost-effective basis, which will not only benefit every household in the State but also spur industrial growth.
Though payments from consumers are on time, the purchase of power at a high cost had pushed the State into the unprecedented crisis. The government is giving equal priority to both urban and rural areas in supplying power, developing infrastructure and responding to the complaints of consumers. It has decided to set up 155 substations of various capacities and is going to invest Rs 10,698 crore by 2023-24 for network improvement in voltage and capacity, he added.
APGENCO Managing Director B Sreedhar said the government indicated to increase thermal power generation to make cost-effective power available to consumers. The peak demand reached to 10,170 MW as of June this year, against 7,391 MW in March 2016, he said.
Stating that APGENCO would gear up to meet the projected rise in demand in the coming months due to agriculture activity, he noted that hydel power generation has increased from August with abundant availability of water in reservoirs. This may continue for more days with heavy inflows into Srisailam and other reservoirs in the State, Sreedhar said.
The officials unveiled the statue of Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya on the occasion of Engineer’s Day.