Our focus is on consumer-centric approach, says new AP Energy CS

Vijayawada: Adopting a consumer-centric approach and adopting a two-pronged strategy with long and short term plans to ensure quality and reliable power supply will be on top of the agenda, said senior IAS officer K Vijayanand, who took over as the Special Chief Secretary of Energy Department on Thursday.

Spelling out his priorities as per the directions given by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, he told a review meeting here that their focus will be to make the power sector resilient both financially and physically so as to meet the challenging scenarios in future. He said they are giving significance to renewable energy generation as part of resolve to make the State a decarbonised economy.

After a shortfall in power availability, the government decided to import 31 lakh tonne coal (18 lakh tonne by APGENCO and 13 lakh tonne by APPDCL) to meet the demand for thermal power generation. The State has also signed an agreement with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for supplying 7,000 MW to agriculture for the next 25 years at a low price. The State claims the AP-SECI project will become a trendsetter to the country in agriculture.

Vijayanand, who earlier served as Joint Collector, Rangareddy, Collector Srikakulam, Collector Nalgonda, APTRANSCO Joint MD, APGENCO Managing Director, CMD, APTRANSCO, Principal Secretary IT and Chief Electoral Officer, said said the State Government has given such a huge subsidy to the tune of more than Rs 34,000 crore in the past three years to support to the power sector in future.

He said the government is strongly committed to strengthen the power sector and make it more consumer-centric to deliver better services to all. He said "with the unstinting support of the State Government and best performing administrative machinery, engineers and workforce, they will make concerted efforts to meet the demand.

He said that in view of the forecast that the country will see another coal and power shortage in coming months, the State Government is taking all necessary steps to overcome the imminent crisis so as to ensure 24x7 quality and reliable power supply.

"Even though coal shortage is prevailing in the entire country and all the States are facing same situation of extreme demand for coal and power, AP utilities should make every effort to expedite the commissioning of thermal power generation projects, green energy projects, improving coal stocks at thermal power plants and effective functioning of core management team to mitigate the shortage of coal." he said.

"During more than a decade experience in power sector, reasons whatever it may be, I have not seen such severe coal shortage in the country. Keeping in view all factors like increase of temperatures,

coal shortage etc., the power utilities will have to continuously study the day to day developments in the power sector in the country," he said.