AP government withdraws all restrictions on power supply to industries

-Power utilities restored 24×7 supply to industries from May 16
-The State government has already lifted power holiday to industries on May 9
-APERC have approved the proposal of DISCOMs to withdraw all the power restrictions to industries and issued directions
-Chief Minister Y S JaganMohan Reddy is very keen to provide reliable and quality power supply to industries
-Power utilities imposed restrictions to industrial sector due to severe shortage of coal in the country
-government is committed to provide 24×7 quality power supply to industries —Energy Minister, Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy
-Power utilities did not hesitate to purchase power even at higher prices to ensure reliable power supply to domestic, and agriculture sector.
-CM reviews power supply position frequently and also appealed GoI seeking adequate supply of coal to thermal plants
-The ultimate objective of chief minister is to provide sustainable power on long term basis by providing 24×7 quality power
-Minister has asked power utilities to be on high alert as the coal supply position is still precarious in the country

Vijayawada, Neti Patrika Prajavartha :
The State Government has withdrawn all the restrictions and control(R&C) measures on power supply to industries from 16 May-2022 and the power utilities restored 24 x7 power supply to industries as usual as per the directions of government.
The DISCOMs submitted to APERC proposing to withdraw all (100 %) restrictions on industries and APERC have approved the proposal and issued directions accordingly. The utilities restored 24 x7 power supply to industries as usual from May 16. The state government has already lifted power holiday to industries on May 9 and restored 70 per cent power supply to continuous process industries and withdrawn all restrictions on non continuous process industries from May 13. The government had already ensured 100 per cent supplies to food processing industries, cold storages and aqua culture units etc, as well.
Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy is very keen to provide reliable and quality power supply to industries and directed the power utilities a few days ago to take all necessary measures to lift all restrictions on industries. As per the directions of Chief Minister, the utilities put maximum efforts to restore normalcy in power supply to industries.
The Power utilities issued a notification on April 7 by imposing restrictions on power supply to industries due to severe shortage of coal availability in the country. However the utilities ensured 100 percent supply to domestic and day time power supply to agriculture sector despite the coal shortage.
Several representatives of various industries have thanked the state government for its efforts to withdraw restrictions on industries even as there has been no improvement in coal availability in the country.
In fact central electricity authority (CEA) has issued directions revising coal stocking norms at power generating stations in the country. The generating stations of pit head have to maintain coal stocks for 12 to 17 days and whereas non pit head stations for 20-26 days . However several thermal power stations are running with low coal reserves.
The APGENCO and APPDCL have issued tenders to import 31 lakh metric tons of coal from other countries to ensure 24×7 reliable power supply to domestic, industries and day time power supply to agriculture sector.
The state government has repeatedly announced that the prevailing power shortage was only temporary phenomenon and utilities will definitely overcome the power shortage situation.
On this occasion, Minister for energy, Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy who held teleconference with power utilities with regard to power supply to industry sector said “The government is committed to provide 24×7 quality power supply to industries for industrial promotion and employment generation. Accordingly now the utilities lifted all restrictions on industries and restored normalcy in power supply to industries” minster said
The government has made maximum efforts to restore normalcy in the power supply to industrial sector as industry sector plays key role in the economic development and creating employment. The power utilities did not hesitate to purchase power even at higher prices with an objective to continue reliable power supply to domestic sector and industrial sector as well. The government has constituted a core management team as well to monitor the coal supplies to state
The CM has also reviewed power supply position in the state frequently and also appealed GoI seeking adequate supply of coal to thermal plants in AP and the energy department co-ordinated with union ministry of coal and railway ministries for ensuring improvement in coal supply.
“The ultimate objective of chief minister is to provide sustainable power on long term basis by providing 24×7 quality power supply to all categories of consumers and 9 hours day time power supply to agriculture sector”, minister said.
The minster has asked power utilities to be on high alert as the coal supply position is still precarious in the country and continue their efforts to improve coal supplies to the state to ensure 24×7 power supply to the consumers. He also directed them to lay special focus on power supply to agriculture sector as the kharif season will begin soon
The power utilities thanked APERC for their unstinted support for lifting power restrictions to industries and supporting utilities to provide 24×7 power supply to industrial sector.
The government had also entered in to MoU with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to procure power to the tune of 7000 MW at a rate of Rs. 2.49 per unit to ensure power supply to agriculture sector for the next 25 years. The govt is also taking steps to establish integrated pumped hydro storage power plants with capacity of 33240 MW with an objective to ensure adequate power supply in the state keeping the present coal crisis across the country in mind.
Secretary, Energy, B Sreedhar, APTRANSCO JMD, HRD & Admin, I Prudhvi Tej, CMDS of DISCOMs, H Haranatha Rao, J Padma Janardhana Reddy, K Santosha Rao, Director Grid/APTRANSCO, A V K Bhaskar and other officials have participated.