VIJAYAWADA: Demand to constitute a new power discom at Vijayawada is getting more strident, with more and more politicians and officials backing it. They feel that with the city being more or less confirmed as the state capital, the demand for more power and its management and distribution will increase.
At present, there are two power distribution companies (discoms), in the state APEPDCL at Visakhapatnam and APSPDCL at Tirupati.
APEPDCL covers five districts, from Srikak-ulam to West Godavari while APSPDCL takes care of the remaining eight. Now, the demand to split APSPDCL is gaining support from leaders and officials in electricity department alike. They feel that constitution of a new discom will make the administrative work easier.
APSPDCL Vijayawada zone chief engineer Raja Bapaiah said that the headquarters of discoms should be located inside the capital.
“The CMD needs to report the CM and has to participate in meetings regularly. It will not possible to him to come to the capital on short notice. It is advisable that a new discom is constituted for the increasing demand of power supply in this region as well as for the administration purposes.”
Reminding that Chief Minister N. Chandrab-abu Naidu had ordered the officials to classify the feeders as per the usage like agriculture and domestic. The chief engineer said that this classification helps in improving the performance of the company.
“We are fixing modems to feeders. This enables us to monitor them from data centre in the capital as well as the CM’s office via Internet. We are planning to provide 3-phase power supply to rural areas also. This helps the industries there to increase the production and minimise losses.”
MLA Gadde Rammohan also stressed the need for a new discom at Vijayawada in the state Assembly on Monday.
