Bringing power sector back onto track, says Ravi Kumar

Vijayawada: Energy minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reviving Andhra Pradesh’s power sector and promoting sustainable energy growth.

Speaking in Assembly on Wednesday, he emphasised the sector’s critical role in the state’s development. The minister noted that in 2019, Andhra Pradesh was a power-surplus state, but unplanned policies under the previous government led to losses of Rs 1.29 lakh crore.

He criticised the YSRCP government for increasing electricity tariffs nine times, halting key power plant expansions, and making arbitrary power purchases worth Rs 10,000 crore.

He said under Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s leadership, corrective measures have been initiated to stabilise the sector. The government has reduced power purchases by 60 per cent through efficient resource utilisation and achieved record-level power generation from APGenco. Ravi Kumar assured that there will be no further tariff hikes, reduced power cuts, and nine hours of free, high-quality electricity for farmers. SC and ST beneficiaries using less than 200 units will continue to receive free power under the subsidy scheme.

Addressing concerns over linemen shortages, the minister stated that efforts are underway to improve service efficiency. He also assured that Aadhaar-based electricity connection issues will be resolved, ensuring uninterrupted service for valid Aadhaar holders.

The government is enhancing electrical safety measures, including support for electric shock victims and preventive strategies to minimise such incidents. Subsidies for the textile industry, which employs lakhs of people, will also be reviewed in consultation with the Chief Minister.

The minister confirmed that land allocation for the Kovvada Nuclear Power Plant in Srikakulam is complete, and construction will be expedited. Through the RDSS scheme, the government is partnering with the Centre to upgrade infrastructure, including underground cables in congested areas and new substations to address high-load and low-voltage issues.

As part of the Integrated Clean Energy Policy-2024, Andhra Pradesh will establish green hydrogen export plants, positioning the state as arenewable energy leader. The government is also tackling transformer theft, ensuring swift recovery and strict action against thieves and unauthorisedtraders.