16,500 MW power demand met without cuts: Bhatti

Metro India News | HANUMAKONDA

Telangana successfully maintained uninterrupted power supply despite an unusual surge in electricity demand during the monsoon season, with peak consumption touching 16,500 MW, Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Bhatti Vikramarka said on Wednesday.

Reviewing the power sector performance at the NPDCL headquarters in Hanumakonda, Bhatti said the impact of El Niño led to summer-like conditions during the rainy season, pushing the normal monsoon demand of around 11,000 MW to a record 16,500 MW. The situation was further complicated by a drop of nearly 2,000 MW in hydel power generation due to reduced water availability in reservoirs. This created an additional burden of around 7,000 MW on the power system. However, advance planning and coordinated efforts by power utilities helped meet the increased demand without imposing power cuts, he said.

Bhatti said higher electricity consumption from major lift irrigation projects such as Kaleshwaram, Devadula and Sitarama, along with increased agricultural borewell usage, contributed to the rise in demand. He clarified that Telangana has not implemented power cuts and that temporary interruptions occur only due to natural events like heavy rains, strong winds or damage to power infrastructure.

The Deputy Chief Minister said the government is working on restructuring high-interest loans of DISCOMs to reduce financial pressure and strengthen NPDCL and SPDCL. He also announced the Electricity Ambulance service, through which consumers can register complaints on the 1912 helpline. Using AI-based technology, complaints will be automatically processed and emergency teams will be dispatched for faster restoration.