Power woes continue to haunt people of AP!

The State of Andhra Pradesh appears to be going a step forward and two steps backward with regard to its power situation.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy instead of looking for alternative steps to improve the power situation in the State, seems to be pushing people into the dark!

The already bad power situation has become worse now - the state is reeling under a severe crisis with the imposition of 12 hour power cuts in rural areas from 6 am to 6 pm. Imagine the situation in the villages as the farming community is most affected. For instance, standing paddy crop in about 100 acres is ready to wither in one mandal of Medak district. The farmers have taken up irrigation under  bore wells in 1200 acres in Kalher mandal. But all their dreams have been shattered with  power cuts and there's none to hear their ordeal.

The APTransco announced two hour power cut in two intervals in a day. Be prepared Hyderabadis, for one more hour cut unofficially. 

The State has a demand of 306 Million Units (MUs) per day at present. The power corporations are able to supply only 237 MUs in a day, a shortage of 69 MUs. The demand may increase further to 350 MUs in April and May. There are about 9,386 agriculture feeders in the State of which 4,032 feeders are supplying only seven-hours power. Not even 2-3 hours supply is ensured for the agriculture sector in a day. 

The four Discoms are on the move to make a request to the Power Regulatory Authority for 4 days a week cuts. Even without obtaining permission from the Authority, the corporations imposed unofficial power cuts to the agriculture sector.

What went wrong?

The reason for the present power problems in the state is mainly non-allocation of funds  for AP-Genco in 2012-13 budget. As a result, the Genco is facing severe shortage of resources like coal and gas. Along with the shortages, poor transmission network has further crippled the State power sector and left the people in 'darkness'. The Govt could manage power demand up to 250 MUs per day, but now the demand crosses  300 MUs. 

Statistics show that APGenco is able to generate 70 per cent of total 120 MUs, NTPC  85 MUs and other private companies altogether generate about 43 MUs. The main reason for the shortage of power is financial resources. Apart from that, the KG basin is supplying only 30 Million cubic gas as against the required 80 million cubic. Adding fuel to the fire, the Hydel  power projects too face severe crisis with shortage of water. Financial constraints landed the APGenco in a big trouble and its debts touched almost  Rs 4,000 crore.

The Chief Minister during  his Delhi tour sought the Centre's intervention to release the State's share in the KG basin gas. The Govt's inability to release funds came to fore at the end of the episode. The UPA Govt, which should to come to the immediate rescue of a Congress-ruled state, is just throwing Kiran and his ministers to the wind. 

Who can save the people of Andhra Pradesh is a million dollar question now.

aks@Sakshipost