HYDERABAD: State power utilities met the highest peak demand of 14,169 Megawatts on Friday, surpassing the earlier peak demand of 14,166 MW on March 29, 2022. Disclosing this in the Assembly, Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy admitted that there was a shortage of power for agriculture consumers on Thursday and Friday, and that power would be supplied 24x7 for farmers without interruption from Saturday onward.
He averred that there would be no power shortage for the agriculture sector in the coming days, as the power utilities restored the supply from Friday afternoon itself. "As long as KCR is the Chief Minister and as long as the BRS is in power, 24x7 free power supply to the agriculture sector will continue," the minister asserted. Jagadish Reddy blamed the Union government for the delay in the completion of the 4,000 MW NTPC Ramagundam power plant, which would burden consumers by Rs 9,637.27 crore.
"Despite an agreement in place, the NTPC has not been supplying power from the 4,000 MW Ramagundam plant for the last two years. Because of this, the State purchased power from the open market by spending Rs 7,061 crore. The cost escalation and interest payment due to the delay in completing the NTPC Ramagundam plant was Rs 2,576.27 crore. The total burden that would be passed onto consumers would be Rs 9,637.27 crore, the minister explained.
"However, Opposition leaders are alleging that the government is purchasing power by paying an exorbitant sum. The cost escalation is due to the delay in completing the NTPC plant," Jagadish Reddy said. He also blamed the Centre for insisting the power utilities use 30% imported coal for thermal power plants.
"SCCL is supplying one tonne of coal for Rs 3,600. That is why the TS did not agree to the conditions of the Centre and never purchased imported coal. But our neighbouring State agreed to the conditions and invited tenders for purchasing the imported coal. The suppliers quoted Rs 40,000 per tonne. The neighbouring State cancelled the tenders and invited them again. The supplier then quoted Rs 24,000 per tonne, while TS spent only Rs 3,600 per tonne. Thus, there was no additional burden on our consumers. Even BJP-ruled States opposed imported coal," Jagadish Reddy said.
Participating in the debate, MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi lamented that there was bad propaganda against residents of Old City that they were not paying bills. To this, the minister said that no power thefts were reported in the Old City and Discom was able to collect bills from consumers.