Ensure reliable power for farmers; finish projects on time: Andhra Chief Secy tells officials

Ensure reliable power for farmers; finish projects on time: Andhra Chief Secy tells officials

Amaravati , Andhra Pradesh chief secretary K Vijayanand on Saturday directed officials to ensure reliable power supply for farmers, provide uninterrupted electricity to consumers during the upcoming summer season, and adhere to project completion timelines.

Ensure reliable power for farmers; finish projects on time: Andhra Chief Secy tells officials

Reviewing power utilities, Vijayanand highlighted the need for collective efforts to provide nine hours of free power to the agricultural sector and ensure a 24x7 uninterrupted power supply for all other consumers, considering the rising demand during the upcoming summer season.

"The government has sanctioned 40,000 new agricultural connections across the state, of which 12,846 have been issued. Expedite the release of the remaining connections," Vijayanand said in an official press release.

Anticipating a peak power demand of around 13,700 MW during the summer, the chief secretary noted that daily consumption is expected to reach up to 260 million units.

In line with this, plans should be made to ensure that Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Ltd generates the majority of the required power during the summer. The state government will provide full support to GENCO in coal procurement and transportation, he said.

Lauding GENCO, Vijayanand said the power utility is meeting up to 53 per cent of the grid demand.

He called for proactive measures to procure power through swap agreements, independent power producers , and short-term power purchases to minimise the burden on the public as much as possible.

According to Vijayanand, Andhra Pradesh is committed to adding 72.6 GW of renewable energy capacity over the next six years, including 40 GW of solar, 20 GW of wind, 12 GW of pumped storage, and 0.6 GW of bio-energy.

The state has already approved clean energy projects worth ₹85,727 crore, which include 1,376 MW of solar and wind capacity, 1 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum of green hydrogen, and 11,000 tonnes per day of compressed biogas production, he said.

Further, the Ministry of Power has tentatively agreed to allocate 1,000 MWh of Battery Energy Storage System capacity under the Viability Gap Funding scheme, the chief secretary said.

The state has also requested an additional 1,000 MW/2,000 MWh capacity through Central Public Sector Undertakings such as the National Hydro Power Corporation and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam , he added.

Vijayanand also said that over 2.3 lakh smart meters have been installed by the Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Corporation Ltd and 51,107 by the Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Corporation Ltd .

The Chief Secretary emphasised the need for the full integration of these meters with the National Feeder Monitoring System to improve energy efficiency.

He also commended the progress made under the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana scheme, through which over 9,702 rooftop solar installations, with a cumulative capacity of 34,465 kW, have been completed across various distribution companies .

He also reviewed the solarisation efforts under the PM-KUSUM scheme, under which the government has secured the allocation of 1 lakh solar pump sets.

He directed utilities to expedite the project to meet the targets set by the Centre.

Vijayanand underscored the importance of adhering to project timelines to maintain Andhra Pradesh’s leadership in power sector reforms and sustainability.

He instructed officials to submit periodic progress reports and ensure the seamless execution of projects that align with the state's vision of becoming a clean energy hub.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.