Govt. targets to generate 160 GW of renewable energy, says Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar

Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar said the government targeted to generate 160 Gigawatts of renewable power under the Integrated Clean Energy Policy and focus was laid on long-term sustainability and protection of consumer interests.

Speaking during the discussion on Budget in the Legislative Assembly on Friday, Mr. Ravi Kumar said the reforms initiated in the power sector by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu helped the State in making rapid strides and recalled that the State was power-surplus in 2014-19, when TDP was heading the government.

The power sector had come under severe financial stress in 2019-24, he said, alleging that the electricity tariffs were increased nine times during that period, resulting in a ₹30,000 crore burden on the consumers. The present government stabilised the debt-ridden power systems.

The Minister said Andhra Pradesh stood in the forefront with an installed capacity of 21,457 Megawatts (MW), of which 37% was coming from renewable sources and noted that the AP Genco has recently achieved a record generation of 6,000 MW.

Due to improved generation and financial discipline, the government reduced tariffs by 13 paise per unit through a true down mechanism, which was the first of its kind in the country. The power purchase cost was reduced from Rs.7.71 to Rs.6.35 per unit.

Andhra Pradesh has 378 extra high-tension substations, 71,549 MVA transformer capacity and 33,000 circuit kilometres of transmission lines, Mr. Ravi Kumar said, adding that approval was secured for a 2,000 MW BESS that would facilitate the supply power at one of the lowest tariffs in the country.