PNS | VIJAYAWADA
The AP Genco has created a new record in power generation this year. Compared to previous year, the AP Genco has reportedly supplied 12 per cent more power during the month of May.
APGenco MD KVN Chakradhar Babu has said that it is noteworthy that Genco supplied 33.45 percent of the State’s power demand in May last year and it increased to 45.38 percent in the same month this year.
The Genco MD stated that in May last year, the State’s grid power demand was 5947.39 million units while Genco supplied 1989.37 million units. In May, the State’s electricity demand increased to a record 6430.72 million units and AP Genco supplied 2917.99 million units to the grid for the State’s needs. He said, “It is remarkable that AP Genco has supplied 989.37 million extra units of electricity to the State grid for the State’s needs in this May compared to last year. AP Genco is supplying more than 45 percent on an average even at a time when electricity consumption has increased to the highest level ever in the history of the State.”
He said that due to the increase in power generation by Genco, the burden of electricity distribution companies (discoms) to purchase from private generation companies and other States at higher prices had been reduced. The burden of increase in adjustment charges has been avoided on the electricity consumers. He further said it was a matter of relief to the users and it was clear from the statistics that AP Genco’s share of electricity supply would have exceeded 50 percent if the demand had been normal in May this year as in previous summer seasons.
The MD said that the Nagarjuna Sagar Kudigattu hydroelectric power station recorded the highest electricity generation of 287.213 million units in the financial year that ended in March this year in 40 years. He mentioned that the eighth unit of 800 megawatts commercial production (COD), which recently started experimental production at the thermal power station (Dr. NTTPS) and connected to the grid, would be started next month. With this, the capacity of APGenco thermal power stations will increase from 5,810 MW to 6,610 MW. The total power generation capacity of AP Genco (combined thermal, hydel and solar) will increase to 8,789.026 MW.
MD Chakradhar Babu disclosed the plan for setting up Pumped Storage Plants (PSP) with a capacity of 5,000 MW. They had already received permission from the Central Electricity Board (CEA) to build a 1,350 MW PSP in Upper Seeleru. He added that in Machkhand, Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) and APGenco were jointly taking steps for the construction of three hydropower projects of 98 MW capacity, upstream and downstream of Machkhand project, which are not seasonal like other small hydropower plants and will generate electricity throughout the year.
