Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar. FILE PHOTO
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO
State Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar directed officials to ensure uninterrupted power supply for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Bhogapuram and the Godavari Pushkaralu.Reviewing the progress of various developmental projects at the APEPDCL corporate office in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, the Minister emphasised that electricity services must be delivered efficiently. He instructed field-level authorities to deploy additional personnel wherever necessary to maintain seamless power distribution.Key DirectivesThe Minister ordered officials to accelerate the PM Surya Ghar rooftop solar initiative, ensuring targeted outreach for eligible SC and ST beneficiaries. Component-C feeder-level solarisation, RDSS works, feeder segregation, and the installation of smart meters and underground cables must be completed within the deadlines to reduce distribution losses.As part of a special action plan, the department has targeted March 2027 for completing all power infrastructure upgrades for the Godavari Pushkaralu, including 19 new 33/11 kV substations backed by an outlay of ₹830 crore.Acknowledging recent power disruptions caused by severe gales, the Minister stressed that SMS updates regarding estimated restoration times must reach consumers promptly. He strongly cautioned the public to watch out for fraudulent intermediaries promising jobs in the electricity department, clarifying that the Assistant Engineer recruitments are strictly merit-based.CoEET and RTIH PartnershipAt a separate event, the Minister witnessed the exchange of an MoU between the Centre of Excellence for Energy Transition and the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub to establish an Energy Technology Co-Incubation Centre.APEPDCL chairman and managing director I Prudhvi Tej said that the discom had successfully commissioned 12 new substations out of a targeted 50 for the current financial year. He added that ongoing RDSS and solarization works have successfully curtailed distribution losses, easing financial burdens on the discom by more than ₹100 crore.Tanuku MLA Arimilli Radhakrishna, APEPDCL Directors, and senior officials participated in the review meetings. Published - July 30, 2026 07:18 pm IST
