Thermal power output touches record 19,268 MU
In Short
Energy dept special CS Vijayanand reviews generation, coal supplies
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Energy department special chief secretary K Vijayanand reviewing thermal power generation, coal supplies and power availability with senior officials at Vidyut Soudha in Vijayawada on Friday
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh’s state-owned thermal power stations generated a record 19,268 million units (MU) of electricity during April–September 2026, marking a 13.1% increase over the 17,037 MU produced in the same period last year.
Energy department special chief secretary K Vijayanand announced the figures after a review meeting at Vidyut Soudha here on Friday. He said the government had strengthened coal procurement and power purchase plans to ensure an uninterrupted supply during the coming months, particularly in view of El Niño-related concerns over rainfall and temperatures.
The average availability of APGenco and APPDCL thermal power stations improved from 66 per cent to 79 per cent, while their plant load factor rose from 58.7 per cent to 66.4 per cent.
Dr NTTPS generated 7,870 MU, Dr MVR RTPP produced 4,856 MU and Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah Thermal Power Station at Krishnapatnam generated 6,542 MU. Dr NTTPS Unit-7 operated continuously for 146 days, while Unit-8 ran for 101 days without a trip.
Vijayanand said inadequate coal supplies from Singareni Collieries Company Limited had posed challenges between April and August. Supplies against allotted linkages met only 35 per cent of Dr NTTPS’ requirement and 14 per cent of Dr MVR RTPP’s needs, with supplies to Dr NTTPS stopping completely in August.
To overcome the shortage, the government sought the transfer of coal linkages to Mahanadi Coalfields Limited and Eastern Coalfields Limited. Additional coal allocations and imported coal supplies have also been arranged. Three vessels carrying imported coal had reached Krishnapatnam Port under APPDCL’s contract for five lakh tonnes.
The government has also approved the purchase of three lakh tonnes of imported coal for APGenco stations.
To meet anticipated demand from October 2026 to March 2027, the Andhra Pradesh Power Coordination Committee has planned to procure 4,184.60 MU. A 700 MW spinning reserve will help manage sudden demand increases and unexpected outages.
Additional measures include bilateral power banking, market purchases, peak-hour tenders, battery energy storage systems and standby gas-based power arrangements.
Vijayanand said the energy department was taking steps to ensure reliable electricity supply to agricultural, industrial and domestic consumers through better coal logistics, planned maintenance and advance power procurement.
