Congress Govt moves to fix Telangana’s power woes, slams BRS over failures

Hyderabad: Telangana’s power demand has reached record levels, prompting the Congress-led government to implement a plan to meet the growing electricity needs. They hold the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government responsible for poor management and delays in key power projects. In charge of power, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu criticised the BRS for not speeding up important projects, leaving the state unprepared for the rising demand. He promised that the Congress government is taking steps to ensure a reliable power supply and improve Telangana’s energy infrastructure.

Telangana’s peak power demand grew from 13,168 MW in 2019-20 to 15,998 MW on February 10, 2025. Projections show it could increase to 16,877 MW in the 2025 financial year, an 8% rise from the previous year. By 2030, demand may reach 24,215 MW. “The last government made big promises about power supply but did not strengthen the infrastructure to match demand growth. Our government is taking real actions to prevent power shortages and improve capacity,” Bhatti said.

Hyderabad experienced a huge increase in electricity demand during the summer of 2024, making it a key focus for energy management. In some areas, demand exceeded installed capacity by more than 40%. To address this, 19 high-capacity power transformers (PTRs) have been added to ensure stable power in high-demand regions. Power usage in Hyderabad rose from 3,158 MW in 2022 to 4,352 MW this year, showing a 15% increase from 2023. Estimates suggest that by 2026, demand will hit 5,043 MW, representing a 16% annual growth, and by 2030, usage might soar to 9,089 MW.

A significant issue is the Yadadri Thermal Power Station (YTPS), which has faced delays attributed to the BRS government. The project was supposed to start in phases, with two units by October 16, 2020, and the remaining three by October 16, 2021. However, poor coordination and lack of action with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change caused delays. On September 30, 2022, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) suspended environmental clearances, further halting the project. Bhatti claimed, “The BRS government did nothing to fix this, leaving the project stuck. After taking office, we worked quickly to advance YTPS by securing regulatory approvals and improving coordination.”

In addition to solving immediate issues, Telangana aims to increase its energy capacity through new projects. The Naini coal block in Odisha, assigned to Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), faced delays due to regulatory and logistical challenges. However, the Telangana government recently stepped in, discussing key problems with the Odisha Chief Minister to resolve them, like transferring forest land and rerouting power lines. Coal production at Naini will begin soon, leading to a new thermal power plant (2×800 MW) near the mine.

TGENCO plans to set up hydropower projects in Himachal Pradesh using the Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model. The Himachal Pradesh government has sent a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), currently being reviewed. “We are looking for partnerships to grow Telangana’s renewable energy sources and ensure long-term power security,” Bhatti said.

The Congress government is also improving response teams for power outages. They have deployed 132 Emergency Response Team (ERT) vehicles nationwide. These vehicles have GPS tracking and the TGAIMS app. They are designed to restore power quickly and include thermal vision cameras, power saws, flashlight tools, collapsible ladders, insulators, conductors, and cables. They can also tow mobile transformers to speed up repairs and reduce downtime.

In the Summer Action Plan 2025, the government invests in substations, transformers, feeder works, and cable infrastructure to avoid summer outages. They have also improved the 1912 power helpline for better customer service. The number of call receivers has increased from 10 to 30 per shift, and the number of active phone lines has grown to 400 to cut down wait times and provide immediate assistance.

“The BRS government left Telangana’s power sector in a weak state due to inefficiency and neglect. We are now fixing those problems to ensure power shortages, delayed projects, and poor planning do not continue. Telangana’s industries, businesses, and households can expect a stable power supply under our leadership,” Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu said.