Date:13/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/13/stories/2008071350140100.htm

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Fresh power cuts throughout State

Two hours in cities, four in smaller towns and six in villages

HYDERABAD: As the State reels under a power crisis caused by a steep fall in hydel generation, the government has asked energy utilities to impose fresh power cuts throughout the State.

Major cities will have a power cut of two hours a day, smaller towns and mandal headquarters upto four hours and villages six hours. There will not, however, be any cut in the existing seven-hour supply to the farm sector.

Further, industrial areas in and around Hyderabad falling under Central Power Distribution Company Limited have been directed to observe holiday once a week.

This is the first time in the last four years that the State is in the grip of such a crisis triggered by monsoon failure. While the requirement is 8,200 MW (over 170 million units a day), generation from all sources is around 6,500 MW. Power utilities have been spending Rs. 10 crore daily since the last ten days to purchase 16 mu besides stepping up thermal generation by 21 mu. Yet, there is a shortfall of 1,000 MW as hydel generation has slipped from 48 mu (2,000 MW) a day in July last year to 14 mu (about 700 MW) now.

Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy reviewed the situation with Energy Minister Mohd Ali Shabbir and senior officials on Saturday and asked them to explain the factual situation to the people and communicate power schedules in advance to avoid inconvenience to them.

Briefing reporters later, the Energy Minister said the State was unable to purchase additional power from the Central grid as all other southern States were facing a similar power crunch. The government had requested the Centre to defer the overhaul of 500 MW unit of Simhadri thermal power station till July 30.

He said one 500 MW unit of the Vijayawada thermal power station and 117 MW unit of Jurala would commence generation from November while another 500 MW would be available from Bhupalpally station in Warangal from February next.

Gas allocation

He said that the absence of firm allocation of gas to four private projects had hampered generation to the tune of 1,599 MW. Public sector units could secure gas allocation for only 600 MW against their installed capacity of 999 MW.