Power woes continue in AP; CM holds meeting

Rains in the last few days in coastal Andhra and some parts of Telangana have not mitigated the power woes of Andhra Pradesh as the state continues to reel under a severe crisis with the electricity deficit still remaining at 45 million units a day.

While load relief has been increased across the sectors because of the growing shortfall in supply, the power distribution companies are unable to ensure the promised seven hour supply to the agriculture sector.
 Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who held a high-level review meeting on the power scenario here today acknowledged the situation was grim.
 The ground realities in some areas in the state are different. There are problems in power supply even to agriculture sector. This should be sorted out. You should go to villages and find out the difficulties and sort out the problems. Your distribution at ground level in some of the areas should be improved, the Chief Minister told the officials.
 The Chief Minister asked the officials to explore all possibilities to buy power in every small quantity, wherever it was available. Kiran said he would write to the Government of India to restore 1400 mw power supply from NTPC to Andhra Pradesh.
 He said short supply from NTPC has affected the state's power situation badly and asked the officials also to take it up with NTPC Chairman and other officials immediately.
 Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Principal Secretaries V Bhaskar (Finance), M Sahoo (Energy), AP Transco CMD Hiralal Samariya and other officials were present.