Mumbai, Oct. 1 -- The Andhra Pradesh government is strengthening its power transmission network to ensure uninterrupted and quality electricity supply amid rising demand, Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar said. He was speaking after inaugurating the new Transmission Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (APTRANSCO) Superintending Engineer's office in Ongole.
The office was constructed at a cost of Rs. 34 mn. The inauguration was attended by Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, Damacharla Janardhan, MLA, and Santhanuthalapadu MLA B.N. Vijay Kumar.
Ravi Kumar said transmission infrastructure projects worth around Rs. 60 bn were being taken up across the state. The programme includes the construction of 132/220/400 kV substations. Five substations are being built in the erstwhile Prakasam district and are scheduled for commissioning within four to five months.
The minister said the government was preparing to meet higher power consumption associated with the El Nino effect. He directed the Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation to strengthen generation capacity, while power would be procured from the open market at competitive rates when required. Renewable energy and battery storage systems would also be used to meet peak-hour demand.
The state is targeting 2,000,000 connections under the PM Surya Ghar scheme, with around 500,000 connections already provided. Ravi Kumar also directed officials to take steps to shift high-tension power lines obstructing proposed Smart City works in Ongole.
Reddy urged consumers to use electricity judiciously. Janardhan said measures taken by the government were improving power supply and noted that a substation had already been commissioned in Ongole. He added that the Kothapatnam substation would be inaugurated soon and that proposals had been submitted to relocate high-tension lines affecting Smart City works.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.