Andhra Pradesh Government has asked the Centre to allocate natural gas of 3.2 Million Standard Cubic Metres per Day (MSCMD) on a priority basis for power-generation in the gas-based projects in the State.

This was revealed by Mr Dinesh Kumar, Principal Secretary, Department of Energy, Government of Andhra Pradesh at at a conference of southern States on implementation of priority power projects held here on Sunday.

The Union Ministry of Power was also requested to expedite the matter with the Empowered Group of Ministers and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

This was an “urgent” requirement for the State to meet shortage of power by facilitating power generation at all the gas-based projects to their full capacity, Mr Dinesh Kumar said.

There are nine gas-based projects in the State with a total installed capacity of 2,770 MW.

They will require natural gas supply to the tune of 13 MSCMD. However, the gas supply now is only around 9.7 MSCMD resulting in a short fall.

The State Government had also sought an additional allocation of 9.72 MSCMD for the 2,100-MW Andhra Pradesh Generation Corporation (APGenco) in Karimnagar.

An additional allocation of coal linkage for the APGenco's thermal power plants at Sattupally, Vadarevu, and the Rayalaseema Thermal Power Plant at Kadapa was also requested, Mr Dinesh Kumar said.

He also urged the Union Power Ministry to ensure supply of annual coal linkage of 12.5 million tonnes from the Mahanadi Coal fields to APGenco against the current supply of only 7.5 million tonnes.

Meanwhile, at a meeting organised by the Power Finance Corporation of India here on Saturday, Mr P Uma Shanker, Secretary, Ministry of Power, has directed all the southern States to expedite the implementation of Restructured-Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP) to reduce the Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses.

The programme is aimed at reducing the AT&C losses to below 15 per cent and to meet targets in distribution management and maintain quality power supply to the consumers.

Mr Shanker also asked the States to share the implementation method of respective DISCOMs for speedy completion of the project.

The State Government had also sought permission for implementation of the R-APDRP in towns to reduce the population to 10,000 from 30,000 in select towns.

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