The demand for power is high because of paddy cultivation being taken up in over 65 lakh acres across the State.
| Photo Credit: MOHD ARIF
hyderabad
Uneven spread of south-west monsoon rains has not just burdened the power utilities (Discoms) of Telangana with higher purchase of energy in the exchange due to lower hydro-electric generation but has also shot up energy consumption considerably with farmers depending more on groundwater to irrigate crops, particularly paddy.
Technically, the monsoon (June-September) rainfall was normal with 17% deviation (above normal) as per the data provided by the State Development and Planning Society (TSDPS). But there was 44% deficit in the month of June and 63% deficit in August compared to normal. A surplus of 114% in July and 34% in September has made the overall rainfall for the monsoon season normal. As per the IMD data, the monsoon rainfall had 15% deviation (above normal).
With such heavy variation in the month-wise rainfall during the monsoon period the moisture stress had its impact on the rain-fed cultivation and has forced farmers to draw groundwater to irrigate crops. As a result, the groundwater table was recorded at deeper level by 1.03 meters in July this year (6.17 m) compared to July last year (5.14 m) and by 1.06 m in August this year (5.53 m) compared to August last year (4.47 m).
“With paddy transplanted in a record extent of over 65 lakh acres this kharif season and poor chances of giving ample water to ayacut under Nagarjunasagar Left Canal, the dependency on groundwater to raise the crop by consuming higher extent of energy appears inevitable,” a senior officer of the Agriculture department said. Consumption of energy was 35.56% higher this monsoon period compared to last year and the increase is being attributed mostly to the rise in agricultural consumption.
Poor inflows into the Krishna Basin reservoir so far this water year, 133.5 tmc ft into Srisailam and over 63 tmc ft into Nagarjunasagar, has impacted the hydel generation in the State badly as over 90% hydel generation capacity is on Krishna-based projects. Last year, the reservoirs received 1,530 tmc ft and 1,109 tmc ft, respectively, by the same time.
As a result, the hydel generation was just 658.9 million units during this year’s monsoon period against 3,250.3 MU generated during the same period last year. “With paddy transplanted in over 65 lakh acres this kharif, energy consumption is expected to witness a sharp rise in the coming months as also in rabi as the extent planned by the Agriculture department is high for the second season too,” a TS-Genco official said.
Energy consumption during this year’s monsoon period up by 35.56% compared to 2022. It’s 50.19% higher compared to 2020 when the spread of monsoon rains was even. It’s 43.26% higher compared to 2018, the year in which 24×7 supply to farming was introduced.
Hydel contribution was just 658.9 MU in 2023 monsoon period compared to 3,250.3 MU in 2022. In 2021 it was 3,140.2, in 2021 it was 1,786 MU, in 2019 it was 1,983.4 MU and in 2018 it was 1,177.2 MU.
