Asks officials to expedite RRR works

DEPUTY Chief Minister and Energy Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Thursday made it clear that the state government would not fix meters to agriculture motors.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @Hyderabad

Asked about the implementation of power sector reforms mentioned by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech, which will allow the state government to borrow an additional 0.5 per cent of the GSDP, Bhatti said that the power utilities were implementing several reforms. "But we are not going to fix meters to agriculture motors," he clarified.

Interacting with the media on the ever-increasing power demand and the steps taken by the power utilities to meet it, Vikramarka explained the summer action plan being implemented by the Discoms and the projected power demand.

"The peak power demand is expected to increase to 16,877 MW in the present financial year. The highest peak power demand of 15,998 MW was recorded on February 10, 2025. The previous highest power demand was 15,623 MW recorded in March 2024," he said, adding that the peak demand was just 13,168 MW in 2019-20.