APGenco to complete Phase I of green energy corridor by March.

The energy utilities in Andhra Pradesh are gearing up to complete the works on first phase of evacuation of 3,150 MW under the green energy corridor by the end of this financial year.

The works, launched with an estimated Rs.2,085 crore financed by Rural Electrification Corporation, envisage installation of three 400 kV sub-stations and eight 220 kV sub-stations in addition to 555 km of 400 kV and 571 km of 220 kV lines.

These works form part of the ambitious plans of the AP Power Generation Corporation to add 11,210 MW capacity over the next 10 years with an estimated Rs.64,182 crore.

According to APGenco Chairman and Managing Director K. Vijayanand, works were underway for setting up of three solar energy parks with an aggregate capacity of 3,500 MW. The State which had current installed capacity of 150 MW in solar energy was actively working to ensure that the capacity was scaled up to 5,000 MW in the next four years.

Feasibility studies on the current capacity of solar energy as well as future additions had already been completed while the expected capacity addition in respect of wind power projects was of the order of 5,258 MW in the coming years. Mr. Vijayanand said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was firm that the power utilities availed technology-driven mechanisms to enable periodic review of the progress of implementation of the upcoming projects.

This would ensure better monitoring in terms of performance and quality besides facilitating introduction of consumer-centric applications. The technology-driven applications would also help the Government in fixing the responsibility on officials at different levels. The utilities were also giving equal importance to plant load factor in the APGenco plants so that these plants could achieve PLF of around 90 per cent as against the 80.71 per cent at present.

THE HINDU