Harish Rao Fire On Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka
Former Minister Harish Rao has expressed his anger that Deputy CM and Finance and Power Minister Bhatti Vikramarka is making wrong calculations regarding electricity. “Do you actually have any understanding of your department?” he asked. He said that it is becoming clear that even after two years of taking charge as the Power Minister, there is no understanding of the department. In the wake of Harish Rao’s allegations that a Rs.50,000 crore scam is hidden in the construction of thermal plants and power purchases being undertaken by the government, Bhatti Vikramarka along with Minister Sridhar Babu gave a Power Point Presentation (PPT) on Saturday specifically on electricity issues. In this context, Harish Rao once again expressed his anger at the Deputy CM, highlighting the loopholes in the PPT. A press release was issued to this effect. The officials are telling you calculations and releasing those reports with you, but don’t you understand? He was furious. ‘You, who have no understanding of your own department, are you right to comment that others are unfit for politics?’ he asked. He said that if the focus on commissions had been on policy, these mistakes would not have happened. He pointed out the errors in the PPT in detail.
In three places.. in three ways,
the Deputy CM has revealed details on electricity in three places so far, but none of them are the same, Harish Rao alleged. ‘Do you have the slightest understanding that the State Power Sector White Paper that you released as an assembly witness on electricity, the recently released Clean and Green Energy Policy-2025, and the electricity statistics mentioned in the PPT on Saturday are not related to each other?’ Harish Rao questioned Bhatti Vikramarka. He explained some evidence to this extent.
‘On page number 7 of the white paper, you said that the solar capacity as of 01-12-2023 is 6,123 MW. You said that the total contracted capacity is 19,475 MW. Then on page number 8 of the Clean and Green Energy Policy released on 11-01-2025, you said that the current installed power capacity is 5,415 MW. You mentioned that another 2,474 MW is coming, making the total 7,889 MW. If there was 6,123 MW in 2023, how did it become 5,415 MW by 2025? Will it increase? Will it decrease? Do you know what you said in the PPT you presented today? Have you compared the previously announced policy with the white paper?
In page number 8 of your Clean and Green Energy Policy, you have stated that Telangana’s current contracted capacity is 26,212 MW. In page number 10 of the same policy, you have stated that it is 49,104 MW by 2029-30. Similarly, you have stated that it is 66,694 MW by 2034-35. That means, in the target you have set, you have set a target of generating 1,729 (15,893-14,164) MW of thermal power by 2029-30. But, according to the Cabinet note you gave the other day, you have set a target of constructing 2,400 MW of thermal power plants. Why have you abandoned the Clean and Green Energy Policy that you gave?
Why are they rushing to build 2,400 MW thermal power plants without signing an agreement with NTPC, when 1,600 MW of NTPC power is available under the AP Reorganization Act? Because it is a huge investment of Rs. 50 thousand crores.
In page number 10 of the Energy Policy-2025, the thermal power generation target till 2034-35 has been set at only 16,966 MW. And how did you say that there is going to be a thermal power deficit of 5,000-6,000 MW today? Your policy itself says that 14,164 MW of thermal power is available today. You have set a target of 16,966 MW for 2034-35. That is, according to your calculations, the deficit should be 2,802 MW. But today, you say that there is a deficit of 5,000-6,000 MW. How is all this possible? Is your policy wrong? Is the PPT presented today wrong?
According to page number 3 of the Green Energy Policy-2025 that you signed, you have stated that you are bringing in 20 thousand megawatts of renewable energy by 2030. Why are you moving ahead with thermal plants when you have to achieve 13,000 megawatts of solar energy in the next five years? Why did the cabinet take a decision on the Agameghala? Isn’t it just to get 30-40% commission on the Rs.50 thousand crore cost of building 2,400 megawatt plants?’ Harish Rao questioned.
