'Powerful' testimony of Telangana’s triumph over darkness

HYDERABAD: For a region declared unfit for new industries to invest because of unending power holidays and a deathbed for farmers that depended on erratic and low-quality power supply, the turnaround of events in the power sector was unbelievable.

At the time of Telangana's formation in 2014, there was a deficit of 2,700 megawatts in electricity demand. During the six decades of combined rule, Telangana’s coal and water resources were pilfered and illegally diverted and power plants were constructed in other areas not close to the coalmines.

By the time Telangana was formed, power plants with a generation capacity of only 7,778 MW were operational. Per capita electricity consumption stood at a meager 1,196 kilowatts. The construction of electricity substations and power lines was not sufficient to meet the demand.

The result was frequent power cuts, leading to agricultural motor and transformer failures, causing severe damage to the agriculture sector and the rural economy. The power shortages also forced industries to remain closed, compelling farmers and labourers to migrate for survival. This was the grim situation at the time of Telangana's formation.

KCR’s vision

The progress made by the power sector over the last nine years stood as a testimony to the vision and effective governance of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR). During these nine years, the Telangana Government invested Rs 97,321 crore to expand and strengthen the power generation, supply, and distribution systems, which were previously neglected and discriminated against.

As a result, the power generation capacity impressively increased from 7,778 MW to 18,567 MW. An additional 10,789 MW of power generation capacity was added, with increased production capacity in thermal and solar power generation. The hitherto neglected power stations such as Kakatiya Thermal Power Station, 6x40 MW Lower Jurala hydropower station, and 4x30 MW Pulichintala hydropower station were completed under the Telangana Government's proactive efforts.

Furthermore, the 800 MW Super Critical thermal plant at KTPS was constructed in a record time of 48 months, showcasing the state's commitment to rapid development. The upcoming Yadadri Power Station with a capacity of each of five units (500 MW each) being built with an investment of Rs 34,400 crore in the public sector at Damaracharla of Nalgonda district, would contribute to power production by the end of 2023.

Strengthening distribution

The Government took decisive steps to strengthen the power supply and distribution systems to meet the increased production capacity. The number of 400 kV, 220 kV, and 132 kV power transformers was increased, and the length of high-tension lines was also significantly extended.

The power supply system capacity reached 39,345 MVA. Mass expansions were carried out for 33 kV and 11 kV substations, along with low-tension power distribution lines. Telangana earned recognition as the state with the best power supply system in the country by establishing the State Load Dispatch Centre using modern technology, ensuring continuous quality power supply to all sectors. This system successfully met the peak power demand, which reached 15,497 MW in March 2023. To further enhance power stability in Hyderabad city, an ‘Island System’ was implemented to overcome power supply gaps during grid failures. Modern ‘Ring Main Systems’ were also installed at 400 kV, 220 kV, and 132 kV levels to prevent power interruptions in Hyderabad city.

Quality power

The uninterrupted supply of quality power led to a golden age in the agricultural sector of Telangana. During the past nine years, 8.46 lakh additional agricultural electricity connections were established, raising the total number of connections from 19.03 lakh in 2014 to 27.49 lakh. An additional 67 lakh electricity connections were provided to all sectors, bringing the total number of electricity connections in the state to 1.78 crore

The Telangana Government's steadfast measures to develop the power sector played a crucial role in facilitating the state's all-round development. The discrimination faced during the 60 years of combined rule was put to an end. With the construction of power-generating stations, substations, and supply lines, Telangana made significant progress, with an average per capita electricity consumption of 2,140 units, surpassing the national average of 1,255 units by 70 percent.