Amidst Power Outrage, Telangana Surpasses Other States

Amidst the power blues across the country, Telangana emerged as a state with uninterrupted power supply to all the sectors. Unlike other states, no major power outages were witnessed in the state as Telangana continued to meet its peak demand without any hassle as prior planning contributed to the state’s efficient management of coal resources.

On the other hand, several states across the country are suffering from long power cuts due to increased power consumption caused by the sudden rise in temperature. The Russia-Ukraine war has also triggered a spike in coal prices in addition to the already soaring prices thanks to abnormally high temperatures.

The current power crisis is being termed as the worst in six decades, compelling several states to impose an eight-hour power cut. On Friday, the power demand surpassed all records touching 207 GW. The supply was, however, only 187 GW. At present, Telangana is well placed to meet statewide power demand with state-owned Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) meeting all the needs. All the power plants have a buffer stock for at least two weeks.

Additionally, the authorities have already made arrangements for efficient handling of power generation before summer arrived. They have also reduced Transmission and Distribution losses in Telangana from 16.08 per cent in 2014 to 11.46 per cent during the year 2020-21. The State’s per capita of power was recorded 2,012 units during 2020-21.

The increasing power demand has put all major stakeholders in the doldrums. Several states are facing difficulty in stepping up purchase of coal stocks as their power plants are running out of resources. Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab were amongst the worst hit states on Friday. The persisting heatwaves will only raise power demand and widen the demand-supply gap in coming days.