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CMYS Jagan aiming at to make Power sector No.1 as reduce losses enhance efficiency:Peddi Reddy

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Staff Reporter

State Govt. aims to make AP Power sector No.1 in the country

State Government taking steps to strengthen the power distribution system, reduce losses, enhance operational efficiency and provide world class services to the electricity consumers of the State.

  • State government would invest around Rs.11000 Crore for implementing Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) with the support of GoI
  • State govt. may get around 60 percent of total investment as a grant from GoI in RDSS scheme
  • Power utilities bagged six major awards at the National level in a short span of last three months
  • Smart meter…A strong weapon (Pashupatastram) in the hands of farmers…To question DISCOMs for quality power ---Special Chief Secretary Energy, K Vijayanand
  • Smart meters would be a win-win situation for both the DISCOMs and the farmers
  • The smart meters ensures transparency and accountability for agriculture connections under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme
  • Propagate the benefits of smart meters to farmers--Special CS Energy directs DISCOMs
  • Entire cost of the meters and their installation amounts to around Rs.4000 Crore that would be borne by State government
  • Central government would provide around Rs.1600 Crore as grant for meters

 With an objective to make Andhra Pradesh Power Sector a role model in the country, the State Government is taking steps to strengthen the power distribution system, reduce losses, enhance operational efficiency and ensure financial viability of the distribution sector by implementing Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) that would enable DISCOMs to provide world class services to the electricity consumers of the State.

The State government would invest around Rs.11000 Crore with the support of Government of India and may get around 60 percent of total investment as a grant from union government. The Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) will help the power utilities to get strengthened to a great extent and help in providing high quality power to all categories of consumers.  

Andhra Pradesh Power Utilities have successfully implemented several state government schemes under Navaratnalu including reduction of Transmission & Distribution losses, energy efficiency, renewable energy projects, pumped hydro storage projects etc. In a short span of last three months, the power utilities have bagged six major awards at the National level which is a matter of pride to State. APTRANSCO, NREDCAP and AP State Energy Conservation Mission (APSECM) have won two Skoch Awards, three Inertia Awards and prestigious National Energy Conservation Award received from the honorable President of India.

Disclosing the above during a teleconference on latest developments of power sector with AP Power utilities, the special chief secretary energy K Vijayanand said “Continuous monitoring and support of the Chief Minister Y S JaganMohan Reddy and guidance of energy minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy for strengthening of the sector besides enormous consumer support and the best performance and dedication of entire employee community of power sector helped Andhra Pradesh power sector to become one of the best power sector in the country. Now let us strive hard and continue our consistent efforts to make our sector No.1 in the country in the near future in the area of providing highest quality of power supply to all categories of consumers particularly for agriculture sector which is the back bone of State economy” he said.

 

He also said that as part of series of major steps like 9 hours day time free power supply including providing huge subsidy of Rs. 8400 crore per annum for agriculture, the State government is implementing direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme for agricultural connections. The DBT scheme aimed at giving a right to the farmers for the next 25 years to ask power utilities on supplying highly qualitative power under state government’s prestigious 9 hours day time free power scheme to farm sector.

 He further said that the State government has taken all necessary steps to fully protect the interests of farmers. Any farmer has no need to pay single paisa from their pockets. The government will deposit entire amount in the accounts of farmers. The farmers will pay to DISCOMS which will give a right to farmers to ask power utilities to provide highly qualitative power. This will certainly enhance the accountability and responsibility among power utilities, special CS said

With the support and policy of GoI, the Utilities shall have to fully focus on fixing of smart meters to agricultural connections in the interests of farmers with the aim of making the power sector vibrant for sustainable development of the State. Installation of smart meters to agriculture power connections would be a win-win situation for both the power distribution companies and the farmers.” special CS said.

He directed the power utilities to take all necessary measures to ensure that farmers are satisfied with smart meters. “Right from linemen to Chairman, it is our responsibility to propagate the benefits of smart meters to farmers. Smart meters will strengthen the power distribution system that helps in providing much better services to farmers to enhance agricultural productivity which ultimately results in betterment of the State” he said.

He asked all the Field level engineers of AP Power utilities to disseminate the benefits of smart meters among all the farmers from village level to mandal level in the State that would help to ensure adequate reliable quality of power supply to make agriculture sustainable, empower the farmers and improve the efficiency of 9 hours day time free power scheme. 

The smart meters ensures transparency and accountability for agriculture connections under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme and is beneficial to both the farmers and DISCOMs in knowing the electricity consumed, subsidy given by the government and address power theft, pilferage etc. The entire cost of the meters and their installation amounts to around Rs.4000 Crore that would be borne by State government and the central government would provide around Rs.1600 Crore as grant for meters and other allied materials.

Smart meters in agriculture sector are a revolutionary step and the pilot project in Srikakulam district yielded good results. The government could save 2.81 million units per month in Srikakulam district. The average agricultural consumption was 8.46 MU per month in 2020-21 and it came down to 5.65 MU per month in 2021-22. Out of 16, 66,282 farmers present in the State around 16, 55,915 has given mandate for fixing the smart meters. It is expected that the smart meters would also yield better results in other districts of the State.

CMD APTRANSCO, B Sreedhar, CMDs of DISCOMs, J Padma Janardhana Reddy and K Santosha Rao and field level district officers of DISCOMs have participated. 

Annexure:

Advantages of smart meters:

Sl.No

Benefits of Smart meters

1

Smart meters would make the DISCOMS more responsible and accountable

2

Provide the farmers the right to question the service providers in case of lapses

3

Help the department by generating real-time data management without any human interference

4

Farmers could know the electricity consumed and subsidy given by the government

5

  Helps DISCOMs to address power theft, pilferage


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