Energy Minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy has said that the demand for electricity is poised to increase substantially in the years to come due to sustained economic growth.
“It is likely to cross 250 Million Units (MU) per day after March 2023. The power utilities should, therefore, brace for the challenge,” Mr. Ramachandra Reddy exhorted the officials in a virtual meeting on Sunday.
On the occasion, Mr. Ramachandra Reddy observed that the Indian power sector was undergoing a significant change, and the competition had intensified, which resulted in a clamour for the existing resources.
Keeping this in view, the Andhra Pradesh government had taken all steps to strengthen the power sector, he added.
As part of it, the government extended huge financial support to the Discoms and was in the process of augmenting generation and making transmission and distribution networks more robust.
Due emphasis had been laid on completing the 800-MW units at Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah Thermal Power Station and Dr. Narla Tata Rao Thermal Power Station. At the same time, the government was trying to realise the full potential of solar and wind power. Besides, it planned pumped hydro storage projects, he added.
Special Chief Secretary (Energy) K. Vijayanand said that the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology had mentioned in its report that Andhra Pradesh had favourable environmental conditions for establishing wind power generation in the short and long terms as well.
AP-Transco CMD B. Sreedhar; Joint Managing Director I. Prudhvi Tej; Discoms’ CMDs K. Santosha Rao and J. Padma Janardhana Reddy; and AP New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation Vice-Chairman S. Ramana Reddy were among those present.
