Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Bhatti Vikramarka on Tuesday said the Telangana power sector successfully absorbed a 7,000 MW shock triggered by El Niño conditions. He said the state achieved this without imposing power cuts.
Bhatti reviewed the power sector at the Northern Power Distribution Company of Telangana (NPDCL) headquarters in Hanamkonda. Ministers Konda Surekha and Ponnam Prabhakar, MLA Nayini Rajender Reddy, NPDCL Chairman and Managing Director Varun Reddy, and senior officials attended the meeting.
He said peak electricity demand during the monsoon touched 16,500 MW. Normally, demand remains around 11,000 MW in the rainy season. Hydel generation also declined by nearly 2,000 MW because of low water availability in irrigation projects.
According to Bhatti, the combined impact placed an additional burden of nearly 7,000 MW on the power network. However, advance planning and continuous monitoring helped the department maintain uninterrupted electricity supply across the state.
He said Telangana had not imposed power cuts anywhere. Temporary interruptions occurred only when rain or strong winds damaged electricity poles or transmission lines, he clarified.
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Bhatti said the government successfully managed higher demand from the Kaleshwaram, Devadula and Seetharama lift irrigation schemes. Greater use of agricultural borewells during deficient rainfall also increased electricity consumption, he added.
He praised officials for resolving consumer complaints through the Praja Bata and Polam Bata initiatives. Under the programmes, officials visited consumers directly and addressed their grievances.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the government planned to restructure high-interest loans raised in the past. The move would reduce the financial burden on power utilities. He expressed confidence that NPDCL and SPDCL would emerge as the country’s best-performing power distribution companies.
Bhatti also announced electricity ambulance services. He described them as the first such initiative in the country. The vehicles would carry transformers, ladders, equipment and trained engineers to handle electricity emergencies.
Consumers can report complaints through the toll-free number 1912, he said. Artificial intelligence will receive the complaint automatically and alert the nearest electricity ambulance team. The team will then reach the location and restore supply quickly.
Highlighting employee welfare, Bhatti said the government had introduced insurance coverage of Rs 1.20 crore for electricity staff who die while on duty. It had also distributed safety kits and uniforms to reduce workplace accidents.
He added that the Finance Department was reimbursing power utilities for free electricity supplied to 53 lakh households under the Gruha Jyothi scheme. The department was also releasing about Rs 14,000 crore every year as subsidy for nearly 30 lakh agricultural pump sets across the state.