HYDERABAD: Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Thursday made it clear that the state government would not fix meters to agriculture motors.
Asked about the implementation of power sector reforms mentioned by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech, which will allow the state government to borrow an additional 0.5 per cent of the GSDP, Bhatti said that the power utilities were implementing several reforms. “But we are not going to fix meters to agriculture motors,” he clarified.
Interacting with the media on the ever-increasing power demand and the steps taken by the power utilities to meet it, Vikramarka explained the summer action plan being implemented by the Discoms and the projected power demand.
“The peak power demand is expected to increase to 16,877 MW in the present financial year. The highest peak power demand of 15,998 MW was recorded on February 10, 2025. The previous highest power demand was 15,623 MW recorded in March 2024,” he said, adding that the peak demand was just 13,168 MW in 2019-20.
“Over the last year, the power demand increased by eight per cent,” he said.
As the previous BRS government did not chalk out proper plans to meet the increasing power demand, the Congress government is now taking several steps to meet the power needs, Vikramarka added.
Key growth drivers
Stating that the power demand would touch 31,809 MW by 2035, the deputy CM said that the proposed data centres, the future city initiative, Musi river development and the proposed Regional Ring Road (RRR) would require more power.
He said that the city had two data centres, which were now consuming 250 MW. Some more data centres too would come up, which require more power, he said.
Vikramarka said that the state planned to increase its renewable energy capacity by 20,000 MW by 2030 and 40,000 MW by 2035. The EV charging stations would be increased to 6,000 by 2030 and to 12,000 by 2035.
