Power cuts from Feb.

Hyderabad: AP Transco will re-impose power cuts on the city from the end of February as the average demand and supply power deficit in the state, which currently stands at 60 MU, is expected to increase to 75 MU by February.
“The average demand for power in the state touched 280 MU per day this month, while we are meeting 220 MU per day. The power deficit is due to lower gas-based and hydel-based generation. The industrial sector has been facing 40 per cent power cuts now. The domestic power cuts are in the range of one hour in districts and six hours in mandals in spells. We have to think of cuts in the city when the power deficit increases to 95 MU per day by March,” said Hiralal Samaria, Chairman and Managing Director, AP Transco.
Speaking to the media, Samaria was confident of the power situation improving in April and May when, with the end of the Rabi season, there would be virtually no agri activity.
He said that a decision on a power tariff hike for the year 2013-14 was yet to be made by the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) and the government.
“With the cost of power increasing significantly, the discoms are estimated to incur a `16,000 crore loss next year. We have made proposals for a price hike,” he added.