Telangana to maintain uninterrupted power supply despite rising demand: Bhatti

Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka assured consumers that Telangana would maintain an uninterrupted power supply despite sharply rising electricity demand. He said lower hydel generation had also increased pressure on the state’s power system.

Bhatti said peak electricity demand had risen from about 15,000 MW in previous years to nearly 20,000 MW. At the same time, hydel power generation had declined by approximately 4,000 MW.

He attributed the decline in hydel output to reduced water levels in rivers and reservoirs. According to Bhatti, El Niño-driven drought conditions had contributed to the lower water availability.

The Deputy Chief Minister disclosed the figures while inspecting the Pulichintala Hydel Power Generation Centre on Tuesday. Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy accompanied him during the inspection. Bhatti reviewed operations at the plant’s unit control room before speaking to reporters.

Uninterrupted power supply despite higher demand

“Despite managing an additional burden of nearly 8,000 MW, TG Transco, TGSPDCL, and TGNPDCL are functioning efficiently to maintain an uninterrupted power supply,” Bhatti said. He said the government remained committed to providing round-the-clock electricity throughout Telangana despite the changing demand and generation situation.

The Deputy Chief Minister also reviewed the condition of the state’s hydel generation units. He said all hydel units remained in optimal mechanical condition and were fully operational. However, he said electricity generation from those units remained constrained solely by water availability. Reduced water levels had limited the amount of hydel power available to the state.

Bhatti also raised concerns about rising temperatures and the possibility of water scarcity. Therefore, he appealed to people to use available water carefully until the next monsoon. He said conserving water was necessary to protect drinking water supplies for citizens. Water resources also needed to be preserved for livestock and wildlife, he added.

The Deputy Chief Minister maintained that power utilities were handling the additional demand while working to sustain an uninterrupted power supply. He identified TG Transco, TGSPDCL and TGNPDCL as the utilities managing the increased pressure on the electricity network.