Hyderabad: The Revanth Reddy govt, which created Telangana Rythu Power Distribution Company Limited (TGRPDCL) exclusively for agricultural use, rural water supply and irrigation projects, is contemplating giving rural power supply responsibility to the proposed discom.Govt sources said the Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission (TGERC) and others, during the recent public hearing, raised doubts over the sustainability of the new discom, being created with huge debt and just 2,000 employees.Also, the distribution transformers for the agricultural connections are located in rural areas and the staff, who have been taking care of the rural power supply, could also be utilised for the agricultural distribution transformers (DTRs) maintenance. According to sources, TGNPDCL and TGSPDCL would continue to supply power in towns, municipalities and municipal corporation limits in their respective jurisdictions.The TGRPDCL was announced by the state govt a few months ago and applied for a licence from the TGERC. The electricity regulatory body conducted a public hearing on May 29. The new discom was supposed to become operational from June 2, if everything goes smoothly. But the TGERC reportedly raised some doubts over the staff strength to manage and provide services to the new discom and also debts and liabilities amounting to Rs 70,000 crore. Questions were also raised about the revenue sources for the discom apart from the govt support or subsidy. The TGERC also sought objections from both the existing discoms, Telangana Southern Discom (TGSPDCL) and Northern Discom (TGNPDCL).As of now, there are 1.95 crore connections in both discoms, according to the sources. Of the total connections, 30 lakh are agricultural connections, 1.40 crore domestic connections, about four lakh commercial and a lakh industrial connections and high tension (HT) connections. When it comes to distribution transformers (DTRs), 30 lakh agricultural connections are connected to 5.5 lakh DTRs.Power supply to the agricultural connections comes from 33 kV and 11 kV feeders and they are being managed by the respective discoms now. “After the formation of TGRPDCL, the rural feeders were given to the new discom as it will maintain the rural power supply and agricultural power supply. This will ensure smooth functioning without coordination issues,” an official said.
