The Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) on Saturday stressed the need to speed up the works related to pending sub-station and electricity lines to supply uninterrupted power to the consumers in the State during the upcoming rabi season and summer.
The decisions were made during the 10th meeting of the State Coordination Forum (SCF) held at the APERC office in Vidyuth Niyantrana Bhavan in Kurnool to obtain a formal approval to the State Electricity Plan for the fifth control period covering the financial years from 2024-25 to 2028-29.
APERC in-charge Chairman Thakur Rama Singh presided over the meeting, while Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary, who is also the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of AP-Transco, K Vijayanand, convened the meeting.
The APERC Chairman expressed concern on the rising number of electrical accidents, necessity to increase safety measures and revamp the distribution system. The commission also directed the power utilities to ensure that the accident cases are reduced and compensation given to all deceased persons.
According to an official release from the APERC, the AP-Transco, which is the State Transmission Utility (STU), is responsible under the provisions of APERC Load Forecast and Resource Plan guidelines to prepare and publish a State Electricity Plan once in every five years.
“As per Chapter-V of APERC Guidelines for Load Forecast, Resource Plans and Power Procurement issued in December 2006, AP-TRANSCO has to formulate a State Electricity Plan in co-ordination with AP-Genco and AP-Discoms for the promotion of generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity and notify the same once in the control period under consideration for tariff review,’’ the APERC release said.
The State Electricity Plan would be used as a reference document by all stakeholders and it also assists Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to plan the National Electricity Plan or any other plan requiring inputs from the State.
The APERC said that as per the regulations, it had issued order on Load Forecast and Resource Plans of the Licensees for the fifth control period covering financial year 2024-25 to 2028-29 in June 2024.
In the meeting held on October 21, 2024, the APERC had directed AP-Transco to incorporate the newly-issued Integrated Clean Energy Policy (ICE)-2024 by the State government into the State Electricity Plan. Accordingly, the AP-Transco made the required changes to the State Electricity Plan and placed before the forum in the current meeting for elaborate discussion and approval.
“The ICE policy envisions transforming the State into a renewable and pumped hydro storage hub in the country. AP-Transco is expecting an additional load to the extent of 10800 MW over and above already factored in the approved Resource Plan. The forum has done due diligence to the State Electricity Plan prepared by AP-Transco and has accorded approval for publication of the same,’’ the Commission said.
APERC member (Finance) P.V.R Reddy, APCPDCL CMD Ravi Pattanshetti, AP-Transco JMD (Commercial and HR) Keerthi Chekuri, APEPDCL CMD Prudhvitej Immadi, APSPDCL CMD K. Santosha Rao and other officials attended the meeting.
Published – January 04, 2025 08:07 pm IST