AP MOU With NTPC For 1000 MW Of Solar Power

AP's power utilities have fully geared up to realize the dream of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu of providing 24x7 power supply to domestic, industrial and commercial consumers, and 7 hours of uninterrupted power supply to the agricultural sector (to be enhanced to 9 hours in future), said APTransco CMD & APGenco MD K Vijayanand, who hoisted the national flag on the eve of the 68th Independence day at Vidyut Soudha.

To make the ambitious scheme of 24x7 Power For All (PFA) a success, AP's power utilities have adopted a multi-pronged strategy to meet the future demand and to provide quality power services to consumers by enhancing conventional & non-conventional energy sources, reducing T&D losses by 15%, and implementing energy efficiency programmes in AP.

While addressing the employees of APTransco and APGenco, Vijayanand said that thanks to the continuous persuasion by the Chief Minister, for the first time NTPC, a Government of India public undertaking utility, will enter a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) shortly with APGenco for generating 1000 MW of solar power.

Apart from this, APGenco has called for bidding for the development of a 500 MW solar power plant.

APGenco has also expedited the construction of an 800 MW plant in Krishnapatnam and another 800 MW plant in VTPS, and is also planning to commission a 960 MW hydel power plant at Polavaram, to meet the future power demand.

APTransco has achieved 99% availability in terms of transmission of power, and stands no. 1 in the country, and is aiming to get the DISCOMs to reduce losses to international standards.

Vijayanand reiterated the importance of consumer services in a sector like power, and said that consumer satisfaction would be given topmost priority.

The CMD appreciated the efforts made by the engineers and all other employees of the power utilities. The power supply position is currently substantially better, thanks to an increase in water levels in the reservoirs which has improved hydel generation, he said. Utilities are able to supply power without restrictions and power cuts from more than one month.

And increase in the water levels of the Srisailam reservoir to almost its full reservoir level of 885 feet is a boon to the AP power sector in terms of increase in hydel generation, he added.

Vijayanand said that the power utilities further aimed to reduce the Transmission & Distribution (T&D) losses through the adoption of the latest initiatives such as strengthening of an Extra High Voltage Transmission Network and increasing transmission availability, and effective implementation of various ongoing schemes.

The CMD requested the employees to rededicate themselves to the betterment of the power sector, and be prepared to face the challenges ahead. (INN)