PNS|Vijayawada
Chief Secretary and Special Chief Secretary for Energy, K Vijayanand, has directed DISCOMs to remain on high alert in view of anticipated pre-monsoon thunderstorms and gusty winds, particularly in coastal districts under red alert.
Chairing a high-level review meeting with power utilities on Saturday, he emphasised the need for proactive measures to ensure uninterrupted 24×7 power supply across the state.
The Chief Secretary instructed the CMDs of DISCOMs to maintain effective coordination, from Assistant Engineers (AEs) to Superintending Engineers (SEs), at the field level. He ordered the establishment of 24×7 control rooms to facilitate continuous monitoring, emergency response, and prompt grievance redressal.
Stressing transparency and preparedness, Vijayanand urged DISCOMs to provide prior information to consumers and public representatives regarding planned outages or maintenance works. Given the red alert warnings, he directed that staff in Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, and Vizianagaram remain especially vigilant, cautioning that any negligence would be viewed seriously.
To enhance accountability, he assigned each Director supervisory responsibility over two to three districts for focused monitoring and timely reporting. Officers were instructed to be physically present at critical sites, especially during line maintenance and tree clearance, to bolster public confidence and ensure operational efficiency.
The review also addressed the state’s readiness for the summer and monsoon seasons. Vijayanand reaffirmed the government’s commitment to uninterrupted power supply under the leadership of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar.
On 13 May, the state recorded a peak demand of 12,600 MW, with average daily consumption reaching 228 MU. Demand is expected to remain high from June to November, ranging between 218 and 235 MU per day. DISCOMs are managing this through power exchanges and peak-hour power swapping to prevent shortages.
Under the Summer Action Plan 2025, DISCOMs are prioritising uninterrupted power supply across all sectors, with particular focus on providing nine-hour daytime supply to agricultural consumers. CMDs briefed the Chief Secretary on key infrastructure upgrades, including bifurcation of overloaded feeders, commissioning of new substations, and enhancement of transformer capacity.
The meeting also reviewed restoration efforts following recent storms and heatwaves. Between 1 and 16 May, officials restored 684 damaged feeders, 3,611 poles, 844 distribution transformers, and several substations—made possible through rapid deployment of manpower and availability of rolling stock.
