Union Minister for Coal and Mines, G Kishan Reddy, criticized the Telangana State government for not cooperating with the Centre’s efforts to increase power availability. He emphasized that the Centre, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is taking significant steps to boost power production to meet the rising energy demands across the country. One such measure includes the approval of a 4,000 megawatt (MW) super thermal power plant in Ramagundam, Peddapalli district, Telangana.
Two power plants, each with 800 MW capacity, have already been completed and commissioned by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). These plants, built with an investment of Rs 10,598.98 crore, were inaugurated by the Prime Minister on October 2, 2003, and March 4, 2024. Currently, 85 percent of the total 1,600 MW generated by these plants is being used to meet Telangana’s power needs.
The Centre aims to commission the remaining 2,400 MW projects as soon as possible to ensure energy security for Telangana. For this to happen, the NTPC needs to enter into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Transmission Corporation of Telangana (TSTRANSCO) and secure the necessary coal supplies.
The urgency to complete the Lara Super Thermal Power Project-II (STPP-II) is high due to the increasing energy demand in India. Despite NTPC’s efforts, including writing four letters to TSTRANSCO, there has been no response from the State government regarding the PPA.
Kishan Reddy stated that the lack of response from TSTRANSCO suggests that the Telangana government is not interested in purchasing power from the STPP-II project in Ramagundam. If this continues, NTPC may sell the power to other South Indian states.
The Union Minister highlighted that the country’s total energy demand reached 250 GW on May 30, 2024, with Telangana’s peak power demand at 15.6 gigawatts in March 2024. According to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the peak power demand in Telangana is expected to double by 2030.
This situation underscores the need to complete the second phase of the NTPC power plant with a capacity of 2,400 MW to meet Telangana’s future power demands. Kishan Reddy stressed that the people of Telangana have the first right to the power produced in the state. While the Centre is offering its support, the State government needs to cooperate for the early commissioning of the project.
He urged the State government to respond to NTPC’s letters and enter into the PPA to protect the state’s interests. He added that it is crucial for the State government to take this matter seriously and implement positive measures promptly.
