The Andhra Pradesh Government’s move to scrap power purchase agreements with distribution companies continues to cause concern for both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

While AP’s move to scrap these PPAs with discoms, which can potentially cut off power to Telangana, has hit the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission’s hurdle, the Telangana Government has decided to take up the matter with the Centre seeking their fair share of power as arranged.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has deputed his Principal Secretary (Energy), Suresh Chandra, to New Delhi to discuss the matter with Central Government officials.

He earlier discussed the power supply situation with the Union Power Secretary and NTPC. The Government is also exploring the possibility of purchasing power from available resources.

On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh is considering legal options to ensure that their move to cancel PPAs sails through. AP’s Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said that they would give additional power to Telangana once the shortage in AP is controlled.

The Regulatory Commission had on Thursday rejected the AP proposal to withdraw the draft power purchase agreements entered with distribution companies.

The regulator stated it was unable to consider the request since it has not been made by the parties who filed the PPAs before the commission. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are caught in a tussle over scrapping the PPAs. While the former believes that it was not binding for them to honour draft PPAs according to current norms, the Telangana Government says that it has been unjustly seeking to cancel, against the spirit of division, and causing a shortage of power in the new State.

The AP Government has justified its move to scrap draft power purchase agreements with distribution companies stating that the State, post the division, is reeling under a severe power crisis.

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