Power cuts in 5 districts of Andhra, YS Jagan seeks KCR help for coal supplies

Hyderabad: Five districts in Andhra Pradesh are set to face power outage problems owing to bleak coal supplies to power generating units. Eastern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh (APEPDCL) on Monday announced that it is forced to impose power cuts in five districts for two days. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy wrote to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhara Rao and asked for an increase in coal supplies from Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL)

The lack of coal supplies hit thermal power stations. Further, strike call by coal miners, heavy rains and drop in wind power generation are taking a toll on power generation in Andhra Pradesh. The power cuts imposed in the five districts will last for up to three hours for the next 2-3 days.

“The overall power cuts of 557MW are being imposed in five districts. The power outage is due to a shortage in power generation in Andhra Pradesh,” said Mr K Rajabapaiah, director (operations), APEPDCL, in a statement.

The emergency power cuts to the tune of 101MW power cuts in Srikakulam district, 82MW in Vijayanagaram district, 61 MW in Visakhapatnam district, 191MW in East Godavari district and 122MW in West Godavari district, according to the statement from APEPDCL.

Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jaganmohan Reddy seeks Telangana help

Meanwhile, the YSRCP government has requested the Telangana government to enhance the coal supplies from Singareni Collieries Company. Generally, Singareni supplies four rakes of coal per day to Andhra Pradesh. The AP Chief Minister, YS Jaganmohan Reddy has asked the Telangana CM, K Chandrashekhara Rao to increase the coal supplies to nine rakes per day.

The coal production was hit by accident at Bharatpur mines in Mahanadi Coalfields (MCL). Further, the 15-day strike left several mines closed. The situation adversely impacted the coal supplies to Andhra Pradesh.