2014 to 2024: From darkness to light, and back
The government added about 8.17 lakh new agriculture connections after the formation of Telangana.
Hyderabad: From power deficit to power surplus, the manner in which the country’s youngest State transformed itself, that too in just nine and a half years, is a case study in itself.
Overcoming the precarious power supply position of power cuts for over 12 hours every day in rural areas, three to four power holidays to the industrial sector every week and struggling hard to ensure even a 6-hour supply to the farm sector, Telangana’s achievement of ensuring 24×7 supply to all categories of consumers was an enviable feat.
Right from improving infrastructure facilities like laying new lines and installing more transformers to strengthening power utilities, the previous BRS government ensured continuous power supply to all sectors even in summer when the power demand is at its highest.
The situation improved in such a way that people of the State even stopped discussing power cuts.
In fact, the usage of emergency lights and inverters became a matter of the past. When Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, there was a peak power demand shortage of 2,700 MW.
However, within a few years, the State turned things around and by the end of 2019-20, it turned into a power surplus State.
This was possible because of the sustained efforts and focus laid by the then Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on the power sector that Telangana could become a power surplus State and managed to increase the contracted installed power capacity, which was 7,778 MW in 2014 to 18,453 MW in May 2023.
The BRS government invested over Rs. 38,070 crore for strengthening the transmission and distribution network in the State during its nine and a half year rule, transforming the State into a destination for investments.
In order to meet the power demand of the State, the BRS government expedited the commissioning of various ongoing power projects in the State. It commissioned four units of Bhadradri Thermal Power Station (4x270MW = 1080MW) and took up the works of 5×800 MW Yadadri Thermal Power Station on a warfooting.
Apart from this, the BRS government entered into long term agreements with various power utilities to ensure uninterrupted power supply to all consumers.
The per-capita power consumption of Telangana, which is an index of development of a State, increased to 2,166 units per annum in 2023 from 1196 units in 2014.
In fact, it was 69.40 percent more than the all India per capita consumption of 1,255 units last year.
In fact, Telangana is in the forefront in solar energy generation in the country with a contracted capacity of 5,741 MW, with a total renewable capacity of 6,151 MW, whereas it had only 74 MW at the time of formation in 2014.
The initiatives taken by the BRS government in the power sector helped Telangana manage supply 24 hour free power to agriculture and uninterrupted power supply to both domestic and industrial sectors.
Power consumption increased substantially in commercial and industrial sectors due to quality power supply and large investments started coming to the State during the BRS rule.
The BRS government which gave top priority to the agriculture sector launched 24X7 power supply to the State’s 2.3 million farmers free of cost in January 2018 and in 2023 the number increased to 27.20 lakh.
The government added about 8.17 lakh new agriculture connections after the formation of Telangana.
Power cuts, inverters return to T homes
After the Congress took over the reins of the State in December 2023, the situation has changed.
Power cuts are back. People are rushing to get their inverters, stuffed away for the last several years, repaired and charged and ready to deal with the frequent unscheduled power cuts, some that stretch for hours.
In rural areas, the situation is said to be worse, with reports on a large number of agriculture pump sets getting damaged due to frequent power fluctuations. There won’t be not much of a difference if a flashback from 2014 is screened.
Then too the Congress was in power in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. Four hours of load shedding daily in summer – two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening – was the norm.
There was a schedule then, now even that is not there with the outages being mostly unscheduled, a fact that power utility managements and the government repeatedly deny despite the truth being right in front of them.
Even hospitals are not exempted, with the MGM hospital in Warangal reporting power cuts for 5 hours, a situation that could spell danger for critical patients.
Interestingly, the Congress government is blaming the previous BRS government for the power crisis.
Instead of seeing how the situation could be tackled and the earlier conditions be restored, the State government has gone into denial mode, claiming there are no power cuts in the State, and accusing the Opposition of spreading lies.
However, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy himself is contradicting this claim by claiming that a few officials of the Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana (TGSPDCL) and Northern Power Distribution Company of Telangana (TGNPDCL) were intentionally creating problems in the power sector to defame his government.
Ever since the Congress came to power, power officials have been facing criticism for not being able to provide uninterrupted power supply.
Power officials claimed that the Opposition was putting pressure on power employees who were doing their work in a challenging atmosphere.
The managements of the State-run power utilities are reportedly initiating action against officials for power outages in their respective jurisdiction.
The unpredictable power supply has become a major concern for farmers too, especially during the crucial Yasangi season when power outages stretch four to five hours.
On the other hand, the Gruha Jyothi scheme, under which the government promised free electricity up to 200 units to eligible families, is putting additional burden.
The scheme is likely to affect the financial health of power utilities.
The State government now says it will soon bring a new Electricity Policy to ensure 24×7 power to all consumers, apart from moving away from costly thermal power to focus on hydel, solar, wind and other non-conventional and renewable energy.
