AP power sector revived in two years: Minister Gottipati

Ravi Kumar emphasized that the government has not increased electricity tariffs during the past two years and assured consumers that power charges would not be raised for the next three years as well

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Andhra Pradesh Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar has said that the coalition government led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has successfully revived the state’s power sector, which he alleged was severely damaged during the previous YSRCP regime.

Speaking on the completion of two years of the coalition government, the minister stated that the administration had corrected the structural issues in the electricity sector and restored stability within a short span of time.

Ravi Kumar emphasized that the government has not increased electricity tariffs during the past two years and assured consumers that power charges would not be raised for the next three years as well. He said the government is committed to providing quality and uninterrupted power supply without imposing any additional burden on consumers.

The minister highlighted that the coalition government had discontinued the “True-Up” mechanism, which he claimed imposed additional financial burdens on electricity consumers during the previous administration. In its place, the government introduced a “True-Down” policy for the first time in the state’s history. As a result, power tariffs were reduced by 13 paise per unit, providing relief worth approximately Rs 4,498 crore to consumers across Andhra Pradesh.

Criticizing the previous government, Ravi Kumar alleged that electricity tariffs were increased nine times during the five-year YSRCP administration, placing a heavy burden on households and businesses. He said the present government has adopted a consumer-friendly approach while simultaneously strengthening the financial health of power utilities.

The minister also outlined several initiatives aimed at expanding clean energy and improving electricity infrastructure. Under the PM Surya Ghar programme, the state is moving ahead with plans to provide six lakh free solar connections to SC and ST households. He noted that the government is working to substantially increase domestic power generation capacity, thereby reducing dependence on costly power purchases from other states.

Ravi Kumar said Andhra Pradesh has set an ambitious target of achieving 160 GW of renewable energy capacity in the coming years. He added that major infrastructure upgrades are being implemented under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), particularly in rural areas. These include the construction of new substations, strengthening of transmission networks and modernization of distribution infrastructure to reduce technical losses and ensure reliable power supply across the state.

The minister said these reforms are aimed at creating a financially sustainable, consumer-friendly and future-ready power sector that can support Andhra Pradesh’s long-term development goals.