HYDERABAD: The energy department of the state government has prepared plans well in advance for placing orders for short-term power purchases for the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme (KLIS). The project will require initially 2,500 MW to 3,000 MW of power for operation of the motors. As the project lifts are likely to be operated from September/October, the energy department is all set to enter short-term power purchase agreements.
“As per the present contracted power, the Telangana state is self-sufficient in power. But we will require power to operate the motors of KLIS and have decided to go in for short-term purchases,” official sources in the energy department said. With the addition of 800 MW KTPS, the state has achieved self-sufficiency in power and it will become power surplus only after the Yadadri and NTPC units are launched in the next three years’ time.
CHHATTISGARH MoU
Meanwhile, senior officials in the energy department admitted that the Chhattisgarh ERC’s order may be a burden on the Telangana government financially to some extent.
“The unit cost may go up by some 30 paise. But signing an agreement with Chhattisgarh in 2014 was a boon to Telangana,” the sources claimed. “Because we had signed the MoU long ago, the state is able to book a slot in the power grid. The availability of the gird will help the state which can sell power to other states when Telangana became surplus in power,” a senior official explained. As per the agreement, TS would abide by the power tariff fixed by the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC), the sources said.
“The power purchase agreement was made with the state government and there was no underhand dealing. The agreement was made at a time when the state was facing power cuts. The agreement helped us overcome the power crisis and to achieve 24X7 power supply to domestic and industrial sectors,” the senior official said. The sources, however, said that they did not take any decision on challenging the CSERC’s tariff order before the court.