Gottipati Orders Uninterrupted Power Supply For PM's Bhogapuram Visit

Energy minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar has directed officials to ensure uninterrupted power supply during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bhogapuram for the inauguration of the Alluri Seetharama Raju International Airport.

At a review meeting held at the Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL) corporate office on Thursday, the minister instructed officials to deploy additional field staff and expedite schemes such as PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM. He also directed them to prioritise SC and ST households for solar electrification and ensure the timely completion of feeder segregation, smart meter installation, underground cabling and other works under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).

Gottipati called for a special action plan to prevent power disruptions during the Godavari Pushkaralu in 2027 and directed that all related works be completed by March that year.

He said 12,000 agricultural power connections had been sanctioned last year and urged officials to expedite the clearance of pending applications. In view of recent outages caused by strong winds, he instructed officials to strengthen the SMS alert system to keep consumers informed about restoration timelines.

The minister also warned the public against middlemen demanding money for jobs, clarifying that the recruitment of assistant engineers is transparent and strictly merit-based.

APEPDCL chairman and managing director Imadi Prithvithej said power arrangements for the Prime Minister's visit had been completed. He said 30 new substations were taken up last year, of which 12 had already been commissioned, while another 50 are planned this year.

He added that RDSS and solarisation works would be completed by December, reducing transmission losses and saving more than `100 crore. Power infrastructure projects worth `830 crore are currently under implementation, including 19 new substations expected to be ready before the Godavari Pushkaralu.