Ensure uninterrupted power supply to Covid hospitals: Energy Secy

VIJAYAWADA: At a time when the state is witnessing a fresh wave of Covid-19, Discoms are gearing up to meet any power exigency in the coming two-three crucial months. Energy secretary Nagulapalli Srikant has instructed the power utilities to focus on power supply to Covid hospitals, which have around 4,000 ventilators, and 500 Ayushman Bharat Prandhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana-empanelled hospitals in the state.The secretary, in a review meeting, said power utilities should always be ready to offer immediate service to any request from hospitals. 

He instructed the officials to continuously monitor the operation of distribution transformers and monitor the maintenance activities as per checklist to avoid any interruptions in power supply. There are around 4,354 hospitals in the state under the three distribution companies (discoms), according to a statement from the department on Sunday. 

The APEPDCL, APSPDCL and APCPDCL supply energy to the tune of 9.2 million units (MU)/annum, 6.8 MU/annum and 1.24 MU/annum respectively to hospitals and COVID care centres, the officials said. The secretary has also apprised energy minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy about the present power supply scenario and the steps being taken to ensure 24x7 uninterrupted and qualitative power supply to all consumers, in particular hospitals/COVID care centres, vaccination centres and necessary facilities in the supply chain.

The secretary observed that revenues from the industrial and commercial sector were affected badly, recording less sales and revenues, during lock down last year. The sales have come down by almost 15 per cent whereas the revenue also has plummeted to an equal level, he said. “In this crucial period, the state government has come to the rescue of the power utilities, which incurred a loss of around Rs 4,300 crore, by paying a huge subsidy to the tune of Rs 17,904 crore,” he added.

The employees were told not to avail any holidays during the crisis. Srikant Nagulapalli has also assured the employees, who are at higher risk of being exposed to the novel coronavirus, of complete medical assistance and facilities if infected with COVID-19.