Telangana Meets Record Power Demand Without Power Cuts Despite El Niño: Bhatti Vikramarka

Telangana successfully met an unprecedented surge in electricity demand without imposing power cuts despite the twin challenges of El Niño-induced weather conditions and a sharp decline in hydropower generation, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka said on Wednesday.

Reviewing the performance of the power sector at the Telangana Northern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGNPDCL) headquarters in Hanamkonda, Bhatti said the state's electricity network successfully handled an additional 7,000 MW demand while continuing to supply free and quality power across domestic, agricultural and industrial sectors. Ministers Konda Surekha and Ponnam Prabhakar, MLA Nayani Rajender Reddy, TGNPDCL CMD Karnati Varun Reddy, and senior officials attended the review meeting.

The Deputy Chief Minister said electricity demand, which usually peaks at around 11,000 MW during the monsoon, unexpectedly rose to 16,500 MW this season. He attributed the increase to below-normal rainfall caused by El Niño, which forced farmers to rely heavily on borewells for irrigation. Simultaneously, inadequate water levels in reservoirs halted nearly 2,000 MW of hydropower generation, while major lift irrigation projects such as Kaleshwaram, Devadula, and Sitarama further increased electricity consumption.

Despite these challenges, Bhatti said the government ensured 24x7 uninterrupted power supply through advance planning, efficient power procurement and robust grid management. He stressed that there are no scheduled power cuts in Telangana, clarifying that temporary disruptions occur only due to natural events such as storms, strong winds or falling trees that damage electricity infrastructure.

Highlighting measures to improve consumer services, Bhatti announced the rollout of India's first "Electricity Ambulance" initiative. Consumers can register complaints through the 1912 toll-free helpline, where an AI-powered complaint management system instantly relays fault information to emergency response teams. Equipped with the required tools and spare parts, the teams are expected to reach affected locations within minutes and restore power supply quickly.

The Deputy Chief Minister also said officials are addressing public grievances through the Prajabata and Polambata outreach programmes by visiting consumers directly and resolving electricity-related issues at the grassroots level. He added that the government has restructured high-interest legacy loans of power distribution companies to strengthen their financial position, expressing confidence that Telangana's DISCOMs would emerge among the country's best-performing power utilities.

On employee welfare, Bhatti announced a ₹1.20 crore insurance cover for electricity department personnel who lose their lives while on duty, ensuring financial support for their families. He further said the Gruha Jyothi scheme currently provides free electricity to 53 lakh households, while the Finance Department directly releases nearly ₹14,000 crore annually to DISCOMs as subsidy support for around 30 lakh agricultural pump sets, ensuring uninterrupted free power to the farm sector without compromising the financial stability of power utilities.