State eyes huge energy savings

• Chief Secretary to oversee measures
• Targets up to 10% energy conservation
• Directions to be issued to all govt wings
• Special energy conservation cell for each dept
• Power sops to industries to be based on energy conservation
• Energy conservation building code in all municipal bodies from August 15
• AP set to ink an MoU with UK govt; road map to be prepared

Hyderabad: The Congress government headed by N Kiran Kumar Reddy is leaving no stone unturned in making Andhra Pradesh an ‘energy-efficient State.’

An understanding with the UK Government on energy conservation mission, initiating energy conservation measures on priority basis in all government departments and constituting separate ‘energy conservation cell’ for each department are some of the decisions taken in this regard by the government.

Addressing a press conference after a meeting of State Energy Conservation Mission (SECM) at the Secretariat on Thursday, Chief Secretary and State Energy Conservation Mission (SECM) chairman P K Mohanty said that energy conservation was a long-term programme that would start paying returns in next four to five years.

“A study has revealed that Andhra Pradesh has a huge potential for saving energy (in domestic, industry, government departments and local bodies and agriculture sectors). By initiating effective measures, the State is able to save 15,105 million units of power costing Rs 9,543 crore each year,’’ he stated.

Pointing out that the Planning Commission had predicted energy savings of around 15 per cent in each State if effective energy conservation measures were adopted, the Chief Secretary exuded confidence of achieving 5 to 10 per cent in energy savings in the near future.

“The State Government will soon sign a memorandum of understanding with the Government of UK for collaboration on energy efficiency and low-carbon growth. With the assistance of the British High Commission, the government is also preparing a comprehensive roadmap for improving energy efficiency. As per the MoU, the UK would extend technical support to the State to implement the best practices in energy efficiency and conservation,” he further said.

British Deputy High Commissioner Andrew McAllister held talks with the Chief Secretary in this regard and promised to extend the necessary technical support.

The departments of municipal administration and urban development, rural water supply, panchayat raj, agriculture, roads & buildings and industries are some of the key wings where the energy efficiency and conservation measures would be implemented on a priority basis.

The municipal administration department has conducted a study of nine municipal corporations including Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati, and found that 50 per cent of the 186 MU currently being used for over 3.5 lakh streetlights alone could be saved by replacing the regular bulbs with LEDs.

Mohanty informed that an energy conservation building code in municipal department would be implemented from August 15. The industries department was preparing the 'Green Factory Code' under which the power subsidy for industrial units would be linked to energy conservation and efficiency systems, he said.

Similar measures could be implemented in the 21,000 gram panchayats as well. For the agriculture sector, promotion of solar-powered pump sets has been mooted, he said.

Special Chief Secretary (Energy) M Sahoo, AP Power Transmission Corporation Chairman and Managing Director Suresh Chanda, AP Central Power Distribution Company CMD Syed Ali Murtaza Rizvi and other top officials took part in the review meeting.