New AP capital of Amravati will not face power shortage: Piyush Goyal

New Delhi/Amaravati, Aug 8: The Centre today assured that Andhra Pradesh's greenfield capital city Amaravati would not have any shortage of power transmission capacity. The Andhra Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (APTRANSCO) has planned a transmission network of 3,830 MVA capacity around the capital city to meet the anticipated demand, it said.

"I can assure that at no point of time, the new capital of Amaravati will have any shortage of transmission capacity," Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal said during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha. The state government determines the requirement of power.

Once the lines come up, they pick up the cost of transmission infrastructure of the state. So, the plans to set up power transmission corridors are co-terminus with the development of Amaravati, he said. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) in consultation with APTRANSCO has planned 400/220 kilo Volt (kV) at Elluru, Chilakaluripet, Gudivada and Inavolu along with Associated Transmission System for meeting load demand in and around Vijayawada and proposed capital city of Amaravati, he added.

Responding to a supplementary raised by TDP leader C M Ramesh on status of pending green projects in the state, the Minister said Andhra Pradesh is the first state to take up green energy corridor and solar power park concepts.

Almost 1500 MW transmission has been set up in and around Ananthapur and 250 MW has already been commissioned. The second phase of 750 MW transmission would be ready by March 2017 and 500 MW will be ready by September 2017, thereby making this a vibrant solar power park, he said.

"For other solar parks, the state government is in dialogue with the Ministry of Renewable Energy for procurement of adequate land which will help us implement the solar parks. As and when the land gets available, we will again plan the transmission infrastructure," Goyal said. He also noted that the Centre cannot plan transmission in advance.

"There has to be a potential buyer. That buyer has to enter into an agreement with transmission companies which will ensure the payment of transmission lines," he added. To a suggestion by RJD leader Prem Chand Gupta on easy permission norms for solar projects amid problems of acquiring land, the Minister said "more and more people should come forward to give land, lease or owned, so that we can expand the solar energy capacity in the country."

But the Centre cannot do the bidding unless the state government enters into power purchasing agreement, he said. "I encourage member wherever they can come up with land, solar parks can be set up. They can talk to respective states. If a state is willing to enter into an agreement, the central government will certainly facilitate the bidding process," Goyal added.

PTI