HYDERABAD: The debate on power in the state legislative assembly on Tuesday generated fireworks with minister Danam Nagender warning Telugu Desam members that he would not allow them to move in the city. That triggered protests from TDP benches and, with charges and counter-charges hurled against each other, deputy Speaker Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka expunged remarks of minister and opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu from the records.Earlier, minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah, on behalf of chief minister, tabled a statement initiating a short discussion on power crisis.According to the statement, power deficit was mainly on account of reduced production of gas in the Krishna-Godavari basin. The nine gas-based power projects, which have an installed capacity of 2,772 MW, are currently generating only around 1,500 MW, leaving a capacity of around 1,272 MW idle due to inadequate gas.Hydro-electricity generation this year is only 5,837 mn units (MU) whereas it was 7,048 MU last year. The total water availability in the major reservoirs of Srisailam, Nagarjunasagar and Sileru is about 90 tmcft at present against 341 tmcft last year, a deficit of around 1,195 MU per day. The additional hydel generation during year is expected to be around 887 MU as against 2,082 MU potential last year.Yet, the state is in better position. The energy deficit during current year is 6.2 per cent while all-India average deficit is 8.1 per cent.DEMAND: The government said it was taking steps including increasing renewable energy generation to meet the demand. "The demand for power is growing.AP Discoms have supplied, on an average, 245 MU against an average of 261 MU per day in February. The demand for period from April 2011 to February 2012 was 81,320 MU against 71,301 MU for the corresponding period of the previous year, an increase of 14 per cent. " Lakshmaiah said.Despite the constraints, seven hours of free power supply to 29.84 lakh agricultural pumpsets was being ensured, he said. Supply was also being ensured for water schemes and lighting in rural and urban areas from 6 pm to 6 am, he said.PURCHASES: Discoms have invited tenders for purchase of 2,000 MW of power from June 2012 to May 2016. It was planned to add 4,260 MW of capacity in the state sector and 1,246 MW in the central sector by 2016. Discoms called for Case-1 bidding for procurement of 2,000 MW of power from 2016 for the next 25 years, the minister announced.The TDP chief raised an objection, wondering how the government, whose term will end soon, could place orders for purchase of power for next 30 years and sought CM’s clarification on it. He said the minister's statement was contradicting the statement made by the CM.
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