The average energy demand in Andhra Pradesh this month was up 12.2 per cent at 256.69 million units a day against 228.68 MU during the same period last year.

Due to incessant rains in the past few days following onset of the monsoons, for the first time this year, the demand supply gap had narrowed before the deficit widened to 24.22 MU on June 22. Distribution companies in the State could supply only 209.88 MU against the demand for 234.10 MU on Friday.

Factoring in the power required for agriculture during the Kharif season, AP Transco has directed power utilities to gear up to ensure seven hours’ power supply to farmers . It has called upon the Discoms to compensate farmers and ensure that the gap is bridged the following day.

The Transco emphasised that Discoms should implement the project to distribute one lakh transformers, which is aimed at preventing overloading of transformers and to improve the voltage profile.

Reviewing the power supply situation with utilities, Mr Hiralal Samariya, Chairman and Managing Director of AP Transco, reiterated the Government’s commitment to providing seven hours of power to the farm sector. The accent is to ensure that farmers do not suffer during the planting and harvesting stages due to inadequate power supply.

Currently, the Discoms are supplying seven hours’ of power to over 30 lakh agriculture pump sets in single spell or in two spells, depending on power generation and transmission system availability. Southern States are adversely impacted as they are faced with a transmission network bottleneck.

Andhra Pradesh has the highest number of agricultural pump sets in the country after Maharashtra, and farmers depend on them for steady output .

>vrishi@thehindu.co.in

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