The state’s industrial sector is losing Rs 257 crore per day due to power cuts imposed by the state government. The power cut to industry amounts to 40-52 per cent as against the energy shortage of APTransco, which is only 10-18 per cent. The government had on Wednesday announced a power holiday to major and medium industries for 12 days per month.
The Federation of AP Chambers of Commerce and Industry, which convened an emergency meeting on Thursday with representatives of various industrial sectors to discuss the power crisis, has demanded that the state government take up corrective measures on a war-footing to improve the power situation in the state and also encourage setting up of captive wind and solar energy plants. It also suggested that, as a temporary solution, the government allow gas-based power plants to use diesel and naptha to generate power.
It expressed concern that if the same situation continues for a month, a large number of industries, especially small and medium scale, will face closure and lakhs of employees will be rendered jobless, all of which will severely affect the economy of the state. Industry representatives will soon meet Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy over the issue.
FAPCCI members blamed the government for the present mess. Despite having abundant coal and gas reserves in AP, it had failed to maximise power generation. “The average power cut to industry stands at 46 per cent ever since power cuts were imposed in September 2011. Even the supplied power is of poor quality, leading to equipment failure. Unscheduled cuts are disrupting production,” said FAPCCI president Devendra Surana.