Hyderabad: Senior BRS leader and former minister T. Harish Rao on Saturday accused Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka and Minister Sridhar Babu of presenting contradictory power sector data. He alleged serious inconsistencies between official documents and public claims.
Rao said the figures shown in the “Clean and Green Energy Policy 2025,” Friday’s PowerPoint presentation, and the White Paper on the power sector do not match. “After two years as Power Minister, Bhatti still doesn’t understand his own department’s data,” Rao stated.
Harish Rao flags contradictory power sector data in official documents
He questioned how solar capacity, which stood at 6,123 MW in December 2023, dropped to 5,415 MW by January 2025. This was according to the government’s latest figures.
Further, Rao pointed to a mismatch in thermal power planning. While the government claims a target of 16,966 MW thermal capacity by 2034–35, a recent Cabinet note only proposes 2,400 MW of new capacity. He accused the government of ignoring the 1,600 MW NTPC allocation under the AP Reorganisation Act. Additionally, he alleged a ₹50,000 crore scam in the rush to set up new thermal units.
He also criticised the shift away from renewable energy targets. Telangana had set a goal of 20,000 MW renewable energy capacity by 2030, yet thermal expansion is being prioritised. Rao alleged 30–40% commission deals in large thermal contracts.
Rao highlighted inconsistent coal transport cost figures for the Yadadri plant. While Sridhar Babu’s White Paper cited ₹803 crore per year, public remarks placed the cost at ₹1,600 crore. “Which is true?” Rao asked.
He also criticised the Congress for previously opposing Yadadri while supporting the Makthal plant. Bhatti’s recent remark that the Makthal plant type is “still under discussion” was called “laughable.”
Rao pointed out further contradictions in project cost comparisons. The White Paper compared Yadadri’s cost of ₹8.64 crore per MW with NTPC Ramagundam’s ₹7.63 crore per MW, even though NTPC’s Phase-2 was not under construction as of December 2023. He added that the Cabinet briefing mentioned Ramagundam’s Phase-2 cost as ₹14 crore per MW, which is higher than NTPC’s quoted ₹12.3 crore.
The former minister also reiterated that the Congress has yet to respond to his earlier query about solar units promised to women’s self-help groups. He termed the Ministers’ statements “careless and misleading.” Furthermore, he advised them to focus on consistency, accuracy, and policy-based governance instead of political rhetoric.