Revanth Reddy reviews power crisis after BRS thermal plant inspection call

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy convened a high‑level review on Wednesday amid a prolonged power shortage, directing officials to ensure full‑capacity generation at Yadadri Thermal Power Station before Dasara featival. With two units shut due to critically low coal stocks and farmers staging protests, the government has decided to source coal from Mahanadi Coalfields and Coal India to stabilise supply.

Hyderabad: Hours after the BRS announced visits to thermal plants to assess the power crisis, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday held a high-level review of the power situation and directed officials to ensure full-capacity generation at Yadadri Thermal Power Station before Dasara festival.

The timing of the review comes against the backdrop of a power shortage persisting for nearly three months, with industrialists seeking uninterrupted and quality supply and farmers staging protests at substations. The government had not held a similar high-level review despite these warning signs, including declining coal production from Singareni Collieries Company Limited.

---

Yadadri has also remained only partially operational during the Congress government’s tenure. Though designed for 4,000 MW in five 800-MW units, only two of its four commercially operational units are currently generating power, with Units 3 and 4 shut due to critically low coal stocks. The fifth unit is still under commissioning.

Ironically, Revanth Reddy questioned the officials on G-9 grade coal required for operating the thermal plant nearly 33 months after the Congress government assumed office and more than a year after Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka launched generation from Unit-1 in August last year.

Officials told the Chief Minister that Yadadri plant requires G-9 coal under its long-term linkage arrangements, while Singareni does not have coal blocks capable of producing the grade. The government has now decided to source coal from Mahanadi Coalfields and Coal India. Bhatti was asked to meet union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy on the issue.

Revanth Reddy also questioned the decision to locate Yadadri plant away from coal mines and claimed that coal transportation would impose an additional financial burden of Rs 40,000 crore on the State.

However, official sources at the Yadadri plant said the plant was not exclusively dependent on G-9 coal and could use lower-grade coal such as G-13. They said such coal required higher quantities to generate the same output.

While the government should maintain coal reserves for 21 days, the directions were issued for alternate measures only after two units were shut down and coal stocks reportedly sufficient for only about four days.