The agriculture sector in Andhra Pradesh has consumed 431m units of power more in the first 11 months of the current financial year when compared with the year-ago period, despite a severe drought in the state.

In actual terms, the consumption has gone up to 11,252m units during the 11 months ended February ’03, from 10,821 MU during the corresponding period of the previous financial year, according to Ms Rachel Chatterjee, CMD of APTransco.

APTransco could supply more power to the agriculture sector despite a steep fall in the hydel power capacity of the state, which has gone down to 3,020 MU from 5,647 MU in previous 11-month period, she said.

Reviewing the power situation here on Sunday, the CMD said APTransco had to buy additional thermal power at a cost of Rs 464 crore due to the low availability of hydel power. Further, it was also forced to bear an additional burden of Rs 209 crore owing to the excess power consumed by the agriculture sector.

“Despite the acute shortage of hydel power due to monsoon failure, APTransco has ensured adequate supply of power to the agriculture sector for protecting standing crops during both kharif and rabi seasons,” she said. The CMD also disclosed that APTransco gave top priority to supplying power to the agriculture sector even at the cost of cutting supplies to both domestic and industrial sectors as and when it became necessary. She denied that the corporation had ever resorted to forcible collections of dues from farmers.

APTransco has decided to prepare a contingency plan in a week or so to meet the energy demand during the peak summer months of April and May, particularly in view of the fact that there won’t be any hydel power from the 10th of next month, she said.

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ TUESDAY, APRIL 01, 2003 05:04:57 AM ]