Dispelling rumours circulating in the social media that there will be power cuts for several hours after Dasara festival in the name of emergency load relief, Energy Secretary N. Srikant said in a press release that the A.P.-Genco has been provided ₹250 crore for procuring coal from wherever it is available in the country and eight extra coal rakes were allotted to the State per day to tide over the crisis.
He stated that the logistical problems that affected production of coal around the world and the disruptions in supply have indeed stifled power generation in Andhra Pradesh but the DISCOMs were taking all possible steps to prevent prolonged power cuts. They were permitted to buy power from the open market to the extent required by them while the A.P.-Genco scouted for coal supplies.
Besides, the government submitted a request to the Ministry of Power (MoP) to allot 400 Megawatts available with the Central generating stations to the State at nominal rates to help in meeting the burgeoning demand. The coal mining companies were asked to supply to power plants without insisting that payments should be made for purchases made by them earlier, as per the MoP guidelines.
Further, Mr. Srikant said efforts were being made to buy coal from Singareni Collieries Company Limited in Telangana to supplement the existing coal reserves. Steps were taken to start generation at the new 800-Megawatt units at Dr. Narla Tatarao Thermal Power Station near Vijayawada and Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah Thermal Power Station at Krishnapatnam in Nellore district at the earliest, he added.
