The Andhra Pradesh Government has announced power cuts ranging from three hours per day in Hyderabad, Tirupati, Vizag and Warangal going up to six hours in other towns and only night supply in rural areas.
Industries are now faced with three-day power holiday.
The Government is faced with a shortage of 40 million units per day and the tough task of providing about seven hours of power to the farm sector. The current demand is 255 MUs and the generation 215 MUs.
The generation has come down due to shortage of natural gas supply and coal for power plants and inadequate water storage levels for hydel generation. The gap has widened in spite of procuring additional 25 MUs from the Central generating stations.
The Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, today said the State has requested additional power supply from Central generating stations.
Rural areas are faced with huge power cuts where they would get power only during nights.
All industries except small-scale units now have three days of power holidays in a week.
Small-scale industries, spinning mills, life saving drug units and seed processing units have two-day power holidays. Poultry, rice mills and cold storages will have about 40 per cent power cut.
The gas supply is about 6.63 million standard cubic meters per day as against requirement of 13.65 mmscmd leaving a gap of 7.22 mmscmd. About 1,600 MW is lying idle. About 2,000 MW of new capacity has not been commissioned due to lack of gas linkage.