No Electricity Tariff Hike During NDA-Alliance Rule: Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar
Ravi Kumar said these proposals resulted in a rise in power tariff to Rs 15,000 crore. He faulted the previous YSR Congress regime for trying to mislead the people saying this rise has been affected by the NDA government.
Vijayawada: Energy minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar ruled out any rise in power tariff during the rule of-TD led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh.
“There has been no power hike since the coalition formed the government in June. There will be no rise in power tariff even in future,” he declared in the AP Legislative Council during the question hour on Tuesday.
The minister criticised the previous YSR Congress regime for imposing a burden of Rs 15,000 crore on the power consumers during its last two years of rule. He explained that during 2022–23, the then YSR Congress government proposed to raise the power tariff to the tune of Rs 8,113 crore and sent the same to the AP Electricity Regulatory Commission. In 2023–24, it again sent proposals to raise the power tariff by Rs 11,000 crore.
Ravi Kumar said these proposals resulted in a rise in power tariff to Rs 15,000 crore. He faulted the previous YSR Congress regime for trying to mislead the people saying this rise has been affected by the NDA government.
The minister questioned how the YSRC has organised a series of protests despite itself raising the power tariff.
Turning his attention to TDP’s rule between 2014–19, the minister said that the then government streamlined the power supply and started generation of power to the tune of 7,000 MW. Ahead of the 2019 elections, AP had surplus power.
Ravi Kumar went on to blame the previous YSR Congress regime for shutting down the Krishnapatnam second phase and the fifth phase plant of Vijayawada Thermal Power Station. He also blamed the Jagan Mohan Reddy government for ignoring the development of Polavaram hydroelectric power plant with over 900 MW capacity.
The minister further blamed it for stopping solar and wind power projects. Instead, the YSRC regime purchased power worth Rs 10,000 crore through short-term power purchase agreements, causing a burden upon the people.
Ravi Kumar went on to accuse former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of writing to the centre saying the then AP government will not avail the PM-KUSUM programme. He took to task the previous government for annulling power purchase agreements and raising power tariff nine times during its rule.
