The Andhra Pradesh government has allocated ₹6,000 crore for power infrastructure projects to address the increasing electricity demand. Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar informed the Assembly about the construction of new substations in areas with high power requirements. The government plans to set up over 200 new 33/11 kV substations in regions facing significant power demand to meet the surge in consumption.
In response to queries from MLAs Aditi Vijayalakshmi Gajapathiraju, Kolla Lalitha Kumari, and Muttumula Ashok Reddy during the Question Hour, the minister highlighted the necessity for additional substations in areas experiencing a rise in power needs. Since the coalition government under Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu took office, industrial growth in the state has surged, leading to an anticipated increase in daily power usage from 263 million units to approximately 280 million units.
To cater to the escalating demand, the government is enhancing power generation capabilities by constructing 400 kV, 220 kV, and 132 kV substations across Andhra Pradesh. The minister also mentioned the provision of numerous agricultural electricity connections to farmers, attributing the heightened power consumption to expanding commercial, industrial, and residential demands.
Ensuring an uninterrupted power supply throughout the state in the upcoming years remains a top priority for the state government, as stated by the minister. To accommodate future demand and load growth, the government continues to build 33/11 kV substations and power lines in essential areas statewide. The ongoing construction of the Venugopalapuram substation in Vizianagaram district is currently in the re-tendering phase, with completion expected by March 2027. Works related to 220 kV and 132 kV lines in Vizianagaram district worth ₹46 crore have already concluded, with readiness for operation. Additionally, progress on the Venugopalapuram substation works, amounting to ₹77 crore, is underway.
MLA Aditi Gajapathi Raju urged the government to consider implementing an underground cabling system in Vizianagaram akin to Visakhapatnam. In response, the minister acknowledged the costliness of underground cabling and indicated that the proposal would be evaluated based on fund availability and necessity. MLA Muttumula Ashok Reddy also advocated for a 220 kV substation in the Giddalur constituency, to which the minister assured appropriate actions following the assessment by Energy department officials.
