Power utilities told to gear up for rise in demand in coming months

HYDERABAD

With a sharp rise in energy consumption expected in the coming months due to the impact of El Nino, the Transco and Discoms have been told to prepare a comprehensive action plan to strengthen the transmission and distribution work to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

At a meeting on “Network Planning – Summer Action Plan” held here on Tuesday, Chairman & Managing Director of TGSPDCL Jitesh V. Patil instructed officials to take all necessary steps to meet the growing power demand and additional load expected during the summer.

On Tuesday, the areas served by TGSPDCL recorded the highest ever peak load of 12,044 megawatt at 3.52 pm.

The previous highest was 11,828 MW recorded on September 11. In the GHMC limits, the maximum demand was registered on May 22 at 4,782 MW and the maximum energy consumption of 101.07 million units that day. The highest ever energy consumption in the State was recorded on March 13 this year when it was recorded at 344.4 MU and the highest ever peak load clocked on September 9 at 19,543 MW.

During the meeting, the officials of the power utilities were told to prepare network expansion plans keeping in view not only the current requirements but also the projected demand for the next 5 to 10 years. Mr. Patil asked the officials to expedite capacity augmentation works at heavily loaded substations, feeders and power transformers.

The officials were asked to prepare circle-wise proposals for establishment of new EHT and UHV Substations, 33/11 KV Substations, additional Power Transformers (PTRs), enhancement of transformer capacities, new 33 KV feeders, switching stations and interlinking lines in line with future requirements.

He instructed officials to prepare power infrastructure plans for emerging industrial corridors such as Madharam–Ghatkesar, Thimmapur–Kandukur, Eliminedu–Ibrahimpatnam and Dandumalkapur–Choutuppal and to coordinate closely with the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) for timely execution.

The CMD stressed the need to focus on the implementation of dual-source power supply systems for data centres, IT parks, major industries and other critical consumers to ensure uninterrupted and quality power supply. He told officials to identify heavily loaded 33 KV and 11 KV feeders and take up network strengthening measures, wherever required.