HYDERABAD: The relations between the Irrigation department and Transco over pending dues seem to have reached a boiling point, with the latter seeking the release of at least a portion of dues for “continued support and partial easing of financial stress being faced by the power utilities”.
In response to a request from the Chief Engineer (Irrigation), Warangal for continuous operation of pumps 1 and 2 at Devannapaet pump house (load 62 MW), the Transco officials sought the release of at least Rs 500 crore out of the total pending dues of Rs 33,653 crore, suggesting that the department use solar power and operate the irrigation schemes during daytime. The corporation also sought the release of Rs 813.37 crore for which tokens were generated and are pending release at the Finance department.
In a letter to Irrigation engineer-in-chief (general), the chief engineer of Transco (Lift Irrigation Schemes) noted that the total dues/energy charges payable by the Irrigation department to Discoms for the Lift Irrigation (LI) pumping stations stand at Rs 27,027 crore as of the end of February 2026. In view of this, the Transco official requested the Irrigation department to immediately release at least Rs 500 crore to enable continued support and partial easing of the financial stress being faced by the power utilities.
In the letter, the Transco official also furnished the year-wise and the Discom-wise pending arrears status from April 1, 2021 to February 28, 2026. The official further said that the power utilities on multiple occasions represented the need to schedule pumping operations predominantly during daytime, in view of the availability of lower-cost solar power and the significantly higher cost of supply during peak night and early morning hours, and also in view of the significant pendency of payment due to the Transco.
“In the light of these repeated representations, it is expected that the operational planning would be aligned to maximum daytime pumping and minimise reliance on peak-hour supply,” the official said.
Referring to the Warangal irrigation official’s request for “continuous, 24x7 operation at short notice”, the official said that with adequate advance planning, such requirements could have been structured to rely largely on daytime energy availability, thereby reducing both system stress and financial burden.
The Transco official requested that the Irrigation department re-examine the requirement and communicate an alternative pumping schedule, with maximum utilisation of daytime hours. The utilities remain committed to supporting critical irrigation and drinking water needs, while also ensuring system sustainability.
“The Transco has been continuously maintaining and operating the substations of lift irrigation schemes at the request of the Irrigation department, ensuring uninterrupted power supply for irrigation needs across the state. However, the accumulation of such huge outstanding dues is severely impacting the financial position and operational sustainability of Transco,” the official added.