AP to set up Energy Conservation Corps

Hyderabad, March 30 (INN): With a view to take up integrated approach in implementing energy conservation activities by involving all key departments having huge energy savings potential such as Energy, MA&UD, Agriculture, Industrial, Panchayat raj & Rural Water supply schemes, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has contemplated to nominate Nodal officers in all major departments to pursue implementation of energy conservation activities in co-ordination with SECM in accordance with the objectives of the state government.

Disclosing this during the Annual General Body meeting of the State Energy Conservation Society (SECM) held at Secretariat on Monday, Chief Secretary Dr. I.Y.R. Krishna Rao said that we have to make general public be conscious about energy usage and significance of energy conservation and to practice the same for the benefit of the present generation and posterity.

The Chief Secretary further stated that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is time and again stressing that Energy Conservation activities shall be taken up on a mission mode even in grass root level, to realize the benefits and to sustain 'Power For All' programme. He recalled the objective of the Chief Minister that the government is ready to spend any amount of money to ensure 24X7 power supply to all consumers in the state.

As part of power procurement to implement PFA in an effective manner the GoAP/APDISCOMs procuring about 900 MW (21 MU per day) through Long Term & Medium Term contracts and in Short Term, AP has purchased a quantum of 5788 MU, during the period June 2014 to January 2015,at cost of Rs 3180 Crs.

While commenting on the recent tariff schedule released by the APERC for FY 2015-16, the Chief Secretary opined that the tariff has been marginally increased to an extent of just 5% to about 8% of the consumers. 92% of the total consumers of the state are unaffected. For instance, he said AP tariff was much lower than tariff in other States. While it is Rs 3.48 per KWH in AP, it is Rs 4.50 in Karnataka, Rs 5.62 in Gujarat, Rs 4.98 in Haryana, Rs 4.05 in Tamil Nadu, Rs 6.75 in Maharashtra and Rs 4.96 in Madhya Pradesh.

Krishna Rao has said that since AP is a lowest tariff state, the consumers are happy with the tariff rates and it is high time for us to implement EC & EE activities vigorously and to create much more awareness and make the people habituate towards energy conservation. For this Nodal officers of various departments in coordination with SECM and Energy department will play a vital role to realize the expected energy savings.

The high level meeting of SECM was attended by the Energy Secretary Ajay Jain, CMD/APTRANSCO & MD/APGENCO Vijayanand, Higher Education Secretary Sumitha Dawra, Agriculture Secretary K. Madhusudhana Rao, IT Secretary B Sridhar and APSECM CEO A Chandra Sekhar Reddy. The SECM reviewed the progress of implementation of Demand Side Management based efficient lighting programme (DELP) in Domestic sector and Street Lighting sectors. About 42 Lakh LED Bulbs have been distributed in Domestic sector in three districts and 1.0 Lakh Street Lights fixtures have been replaced with energy efficient LED Street Lights an certain Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the State, so far. Distribution of LED Bulbs in West Godavari District is expected to be launched during third week of April 2015.

The members of the Annual Body of the State Energy Conservation Mission Society felt that existing Self Help Groups (SHGs) at District level may be involved for creating awareness on EC & EE among electricity consumers. It is also proposed to constitute groups in all schools in the District as Energy Conservation Corps (ECC) in similar lines with NCC, to create widespread awareness on the significance of energy conservation in School Children in School Education department, and College students in Higher education department, who are the future citizens of this country.