Jagana.. Andhakaraka!

-Galla S Kiran Kumar,Bureau Chief Telagana (Andhra Pradesh)

The Jagan government, which has increased the electricity charges abnormally with never-heard names and burdened the people, is imposing electricity cuts for the second year in a row.

Villages and towns are in darkness
for the second year in a row, but the consumption of electricity has not increased drastically , is it because of lack of advance planning for
cuts ? Unable to buy electricity. People are suffering today – Amaravati

The Jagan government, which has increased the electricity charges abnormally with never -heard names and burdened the people, is imposing electricity cuts for the second year in a row. For the first seven years after the bifurcation of the state, people almost forgot the power cuts. Again, the good old days of Jagan’s government are being remembered. Villages and some towns are slipping into darkness as electricity is cut off for hours at night. Rusty in the house. Mosquitoes outside. Mothers of young children have to spend the whole night throwing a cane. The students had a peaceful sleep. In hospitals where generators are not available, patients are facing difficulties. Drinking water supply projects in villages have to be run quarter wise. The government is giving verbal instructions to the industries to reduce the use of electricity in the evening peak hours.

In the early days of state partition..

By the time of bifurcation of AP on June 2, 2014, power supply in the state was chaotic. The erstwhile TEPDA government used to cut production by 15 million units (MU) daily to meet or adjust production to meet the demand. Later, within five months, it became a state without power cuts. Again after seven years.. the state has experienced power cuts since last year. It was predicted at that time that if Telangana gets separated, that state will be covered by electricity or darkness. However, the Telangana government is continuously supplying enough electricity to meet the demand by purchasing it from the exchanges. Providing 24 hours free cultivation. Today AP is surrounded by electricity problems due to the ill-conceived decisions of the Vaikapa government. Compared to Telangana, it is noteworthy that cuts have to be made even though our state has more power generation resources. Annually additional Rs.

Why do we have karma?

Along with AP, the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Puducherry are under the Southern States Load Dispatch Center (SLDC). SLDC controls the state grids. If there is a power deficit of 16.85 MU on Monday in all the states under this, 6.88 MU is related to our state. 40.83 percent of the total deficit is in AP. This is a proof of how much power supply has deteriorated in the state. The deficit in Telangana is only 0.28 MUs. That is, 234.32 MU of electricity was provided by the state DISCMs almost without any cuts.

• Electricity demand in the state on Monday was 227.05 MU. The state government’s generation sources, the power sourced through the agreements entered into with the central government bodies, and the discoms bought up to 47.59 MU in the open market. However, the supply was not as per the demand. 6.88 MU has been officially cut under Emergency Load Relief (ELR). Due to this, darkness fell for four to five hours in many villages and some towns from 7 pm.
• AP has been given the flexibility to draw 250 megawatts of electricity from the national grid during emergencies for setting up renewable power projects as directed by the Centre. Even if that electricity is taken daily, cuts are inevitable.

Don’t take measures to cover the deficit?

• There is no water flow in Krishna river due to lack of rain. Knowing that there will be no possibility of hydropower generation at Srisailam, why not take steps to fill the deficit?
• If the temperatures rise during the day, the wind power generation will drop to that extent during the night. Renewable electricity will be affected by climate change. But, the officials say that during the evening peak hours (6 pm-10 pm) in August every year, the wind power was about 2 thousand megawatts, but currently it is not more than 185 megawatts. Why not anticipate climate change and prepare for alternatives where mitigation is likely?
• A technical fault has arisen in two units in Krishnapatnam. Due to this, 1,600 megawatts of electricity was produced.

Even if there is no abnormal growth..

Officials say that electricity consumption has increased dramatically compared to last year and it is becoming difficult to adjust the demand. This is untrue. Last year on August 22, electricity consumption was 220.75 MU, this time it was recorded as 227.05 MU. Is an increase of only 6.3 mu unusual? Electricity consumption in the state is expected to increase by 8 percent annually. In that calculation, the consumption should increase by 17.6 MU. What happens if cuts are made for small increases or abnormal increases?

The songs are wrong for people with cuts

• The industries under SEZ in the joint Visakha district have been directed to use 50 percent load from 8 pm. Alluri Sitaramaraju district Pedabayalu has imposed power cuts from 9 am to 4 hours. Later the supply was restored but stopped for half an hour. There is no electricity in Anakapalli from 10.30 am to 1 pm.
• In the rural areas of YSR and Annamaiya districts, cuts were imposed for one hour from 8 pm. Lingala mandal sub station has no supply since 8 pm.
• Power supply stopped after 4 pm in Guntur city. Unannounced cuts were imposed in Bellamkonda and Gurjala mandals of Palnadu district from 3 pm onwards. Karampudi has been absent since 7.30 pm. Officials have not said when it will be restored. Cuts were made for two hours in Nujendla mandal.
• In Karvetinagaram mandal of Chittoor district, there was a disruption in the supply from 5 pm and it was completely stopped after 8 pm. There were frequent disruptions in supply in Gudipala, Chittoor rural and Yadamari mandals. Cuts were implemented for 2 hours in Nagari constituency. Palamaneru town has been without electricity since 7 pm. There is no supply in V. Kota from 6 am to 12 noon.
• In Prakasam District Markapuram and Erragondapalem there were problems in the cultivation of electricity.
• The supply was stopped in Nagayalanka of Krishna district from 8 pm and Nandigama of NTR district from 9 pm. There is no electricity after 9 pm in Marripadu and AS Peta mandals of Nellore district.

What is the alternative plan?

• For annual maintenance in Vijayawada VTPS and RTPP, two units of 210 MW capacity each have been produced. It is natural to stop production in thermal centers in phases from August for annual maintenance. NTPC’s Talcheru, Simhadri and Koodgi thermal centers were shut down for annual maintenance, and 885 megawatts of electricity due from them stood still. Shouldn’t the government take alternative measures?
• Officials say that electricity cannot be bought in the open market. Telangana power companies are buying from the exchanges at par with AP as per the pre-plan. When those state institutions get it in the exchanges, why can’t we get it?