VIZIANAGARAM: At a time when the electricity grids are pushed to record daytime peaks due to the surge in temperatures with the ongoing El Niño, solar energy has emerged as a dual relief mechanism for both end consumers as well as the Eastern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh Limited (APEPDCL) in Vizianagaram district.
The transition is particularly evident in both the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana and commercial solar power plants, as at least 4 lakh units of energy are being generated per day, providing at least 100 MW of load relief to the APEPDCL every day in the district.
Therefore, the APEPDCL is successfully meeting the daytime power demand for domestic, agriculture and industrial needs through this solar energy without imposing any scheduled outages or emergency load reliefs (ELR) on consumers.
The Government of India launched the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana in 2024 to produce eco-friendly electricity while drastically reducing power bills for citizens and allocating over `75,000 crore in subsidies for this project to provide rooftop solar panels for at least 1 crore households across the nation.
As a part of this, the APEPDCL officials have installed at least 10,174 rooftop solar plants out of 13,101 under PM Surya Ghar so far, generating at least 1,26,000 units of power per day. The DISCOM (APEPDCL) has been getting at least 31.5 MW of power relief in the daytime demand every day through these domestic solar plants.
On the other hand, at least 2,80,000 units of power are generated per day through the commercial solar plants that are installed in business spaces and hospitals in the district.
The APEPDCL is getting at least 70 MW of power relief per day through these commercial solar plants in the district. The APEPDCL officials have been successfully generating at least 4.06 lakh units of power per day and getting at least 100 MW of power relief through solar energy in the district.
Speaking to TNIE, APEPDCL Superintending Engineer (SE) M. Laxmana Rao said power generation through thermal, hydel and wind has declined due to the El Niño phenomenon across the state. The power demand is nearly constant in Vizianagaram from summer to September, he stated.
