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Chairman and Managing Director of TS-Genco and TS-Transco D. Prabhakar Rao on Monday alleged that some IAS officers in the State administration have been creating hurdles in the functioning of power utilities by not releasing funds for daily purchase of energy from the exchange to meet demand, despite instructions from the Chief Minister.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new office building of Telangana Vidyuth Accounts Officers Association here, he said the power utilities had been working hard to ensure uninterrupted supply to all sections of consumers with the support of the Chief Minister. It was the Chief Minister’s idea, at the time of State formation, that the power utilities should be headed by engineers and professionals.
However, some IAS officers were unable to digest the progress made by the utilities. Telangana was the only State in the country that supplied uninterrupted power to all sections with the government support. “Perhaps, it is the jealousy of such officers that has been hindering timely release of funds for daily energy purchase in the exchange/market,” he observed.
“Am not blaming anybody but the utilities need cooperation from the administration,” Mr. Prabhakar Rao said and stated that he had tried to take the issue to the Chief Minister’s notice, but it could not be done owing to the latter being busy with the elections. Supply of quality power could be interrupted even if one or two officers in the State administration continue to create such hurdles, he pointed out.
When contacted, officials of the power utilities said they procured up to 60 million units to 70 million units of energy a day from the exchange based on the demand forecast by spending at least ₹50 crore to ₹60 crore to ensure quality power supply to all categories of consumers.
“The dependency on market purchases has increased this year as only 775 MU of hydel energy generation was possible due to poor inflows into reservoirs with hydel facility and uneven rains since commencement of monsoon in June this year. During the same period last year, we were able to generate about 3,968 MU, from June 1 to October 15, with very limited or no market purchases,” the official said.
In fact, the Genco had banked some of its energy generated during the last year’s monsoon period with power utilities in other States such as Rajasthan, Karnataka by lending it to meet their need with the arrangement to get it back whenever asked for return, he explained.
