Refuting social media rumours that Andhra Pradesh would see prolonged periods of power cut after Dasara in the name of load relief, Energy Department Secretary Srikant Nagulapalli said that APGENCO (Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation) has been allotted emergency funds of Rs 250 crore to purchase coal, amid the ongoing coal shortage crisis across many states. APGENCO has been instructed to purchase coal wherever it is available in the country, the official said, adding that around eight additional coal rakes per day have been allotted to the state. 

He also said that DISCOMs have been instructed to purchase power from the short-term market at any price to meet the state’s needs. He claimed that despite the international and national level issues affecting coal supply, state DISCOMs have been striving to ensure uninterrupted power supply. The Energy Department said in a press statement that the state has requested the Union government to allot 400 MW of yet unallocated power from Central power stations till June next year at nominal rates. Mining companies have been asked to continue coal supply to the state regardless of pending payments for previous purchases, as per Union government guidelines, it said. 

The Energy Secretary said that efforts are ongoing to bring coal from the neighbouring Telangana’s Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL). He added that measures were taken to commence power generation soon at the new 800 MW units at the Dr Narla Tatarao Thermal Power Station near Vijayawada and the Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah Thermal Power Station at Krishnapatnam in Nellore district. 

The Energy Department also said that the power purchase price in the open market fell from Rs 20 per unit on Friday, October 15 to Rs 6.11 on October 16, according to The Hindu. Despite the coal shortage, over the past 16 days, the state has had a deficit of less than 1 MU (million units) against an average daily demand of 185 MU, it said.