Directing the officials to work on special plans to supply coal to thermal power stations continuously, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy suggested maintenance of enough stocks by ferrying supplies from indigenous coal blocks like Mahanadi in Odisha and Suliyari at Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh.

During the review meeting on Energy sector held here on Wednesday, the Chief Minister outlined the need for maintaining enough coal reserves in the state to avoid power cuts for the next summer.

In view of the increased prices of imported coal, it is necessary to work with perfect strategies to draw supplies from coal blocks in the country.

Officials told the CM that they have received proposals from industrialists offering investments worth Rs. 95,000 crores to establish hydrogen-based power units, hydrogen e-methanol, green ammonia and offshore wind power units at Pudimadaka in Visakhapatnam district and also near Kakinada port. Most of these proposals have come form ReNew Power company, NTPC and other companies.

In response to the briefing by officials that so far 16, 63,705 farmers have come forward to fix metres for agricultural pump sets, the Chief Minister instructed them to ensure supply of quality power for pump sets through a transparent system for the benefit of farmers.

The farmers should be properly educated on the use of metres for agricultural pump sets by creating awareness that the metres would help assess their energy requirements. This would help officials assess the requirement of energy in each season and prevent the burning of transformers and pump sets.

The Chief Minister clarified that money for the consumed power would be directly deposited in the accounts of farmers to enable them to pay to the distribution companies. This will force accountability on the part of the distribution companies which will be bound to supply power without interruptions.

Asking the officials to educate farmers on these issues, he ordered the Energy Department to release the details of a pilot project implemented in Srikakulam district that resulted in power saving and benefited farmers immensely.

Referring to the pump storage projects in the state, Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the Government will pay Rs. 30,000 per acre every year for those who sacrificed their lands for the Green Energy sector. While this compensation will increase by 5 percent every 2 years, farmers who have given assigned lands also will receive the benefit.

The CM was also told that the 800 MW power unit at Krishnapatnam is ready for inauguration later this month while another 800 MW power unit at Vijayawada Thermal Power station would be ready by March next.

Officials also briefed the Chief Minister about the progress of works at Polavaram Project power unit and preparation for calling tenders for the 1350 MW power unit at Upper Sileru.

Energy Minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy, Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma, Special CS (Energy) K. Vijayanand, Special CS (Finance) S.S. Rawat, AP GENCO MD B. Sridhar and other top officials were among those present in the meeting.

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