Naidu blames Congress Govts for AP power crisis

HYDERABAD: Holding the previous Congress governments responsible for power crisis in the State, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said Wednesday his government had begun taking steps to streamline the sector to supply 24-hour uninterrupted power to consumers with the Centre's help.

Claiming that domestic and industrial consumers were provided 24-hour power supply during his nine-year regime in united AP, Naidu alleged, 'Now, erratic power supply has become the order of the day.

In cities, power cuts are being imposed for four hours a day whereas it is six hours in municipalities, eight in mandal headquarters and 12 in villages.' Promising to make AP a role model, he said his government would encourage alternative energy sources such as solar power.

As part of his exercise of releasing a series of six white papers on key issues, the Chief Minister released the first white paper on the power situation in the State.

Speaking to reporters, Naidu said, 'Congress governments pushed the State into a crisis during the last decade with flawed and short-sighted policies and corrupt practices.

AP was the first State in the country in 1998 to usher in reforms in the power sector. Electricity deficit was just 1.5% in the State in 2004 but now it is 17.6,' he said.

According to him, power distribution companies were pushed into losses amounting to `17,200 crore by March 2014 from zero deficit in 2004.

'I am releasing a white paper on each key sector to place facts before the public. At the same time, I am inviting suggestions from them to find the way forward. We will upload the white papers on the Internet and social networking sites to invite suggestions,' said Naidu.

According to him, between 2004 and 2014, an additional financial burden of `28,835 crore was imposed by way of hike in tariff and fuel adjustment surcharge. 'Congress governments had no foresight. They failed to reserve transmission lines to get power from other States,' he said.

He further said gas-based and thermal power plants were suffering from severe shortage of fuel and are lying idle. 'We are losing 14,000 million units per annum.

The 4000 MW ultra-mega power plant at Krishnapatnam remained a non-starter as work on it was stalled in July 2011 due to rise in prices of imported coal, the main source of fuel for the plant,' he explained.

Because of the three-day a week power holiday for industries, several small-scale companies had become sick, he said. Unveiling his vision for the power sector, Naidu said he was making every effort to get additional power either from the NTPC or from other States.

'NTPC has promised to give AP 177 MW. We are trying to buy 400-300 MW power from TN. We are also expecting 1300 MW from Krishnapatnam plant,' said Naidu.

Naidu's Vision

24-hr power to all industrial and domestic consumers

7-hr power to agriculture sector; to be increased to 9 hrs

Thrust on harnessing renewable sources of energy

Reduce power loss levels to the lowest in the country

IVRS-driven customer feedback mechanism to be set up

Energy savings campaign will be launched

Solar agricultural pump sets in coordination with banks

LEDs for street-lighting

Online metre reading system to be set up

Focus on recharging ground water levels

Talks with Centre

Stating that joint secretary of the Union Energy Ministry is coming to Hyderabad on July 4 to discuss power issues with the AP government, Naidu said, 'During his visit, we will chalk out plans to streamline power sector. The Centre wants to make Rajasthan and AP role models in electricity sector. During the meeting, we will formulate policies to provide uninterrupted quality power to consumers.'

Tariff Hike?

Naidu was non-committal on hiking power tariff, saying, 'How can I say this now? The previous Congress governments had ruined the power sector. I am trying to acquaint myself with facts. Only after I go through them, will I be able to decide on it'.