The minister calls for efficient use of energy

Power Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar along with MP M Sribharat and CEO Prudhvi Tej Immadi heard the complaints of people through the APEPDCL helpline at the APEPDCL office in Visakhapatnam on Monday. | Photo credit: V. Raju

Power Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar has directed officials to spread awareness among the public about efficient use of electricity.

Encouraging consumers to use electricity during daylight hours could reduce the load on the power system during nighttime and peak periods, he said. He also suggested promoting renewable energy sources and implementing a large-scale ‘PM Surya Ghar’ project to increase the installation of rooftop solar systems.

The Minister along with Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat, MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao and Velagapudi Ramakrishna APEPDCL CMD Pruthvi Tej Immadi handed over appointment letters to 43 eligible candidates appointed on compassionate grounds at a program held at the APEPDCL office in Visakhapatnam on Monday.

Mr. Ravi Kumar said that apart from increasing the power generation capacity, the distribution system is also being strengthened.

He said that completion of pending substation projects, establishment of new substations, strengthening of transmission infrastructure and introduction of underground cabling in urban areas are beginning to accelerate in urban areas.

He emphasized that the electricity sector plays a key role in attracting investment and creating employment opportunities by ensuring uninterrupted power supply to industries.

The minister said the alliance government is committed to support the families of electricity workers who died on duty and is urgently providing condolence appointments to their family members.

He said the government is expediting appointments that have been pending for the past two-and-a-half to three years to ensure that eligible families do not have to visit government offices repeatedly for compassionate appointments.

“So far, more than 445 sympathy meetings have been held across the three power distribution companies as well as transmission and generation companies,” he said.

The minister said that around 6,500 to 7,000 employees have been brought into the electricity department by absorbing power assistants from village secretariats into the department. He further said that 629 posts of Assistant Engineer in Electricity Department were also filled through transparent recruitment process.

MP Sribharat advised the newly recruited employees to work responsibly and do justice to both their profession and their families.

Speaking on the occasion, TDP State President Palla Srinivasa Rao said that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu favors compassionate appointments to support the families of employees who are facing hardships.

Later, the minister visited APEPDCL 1912 call center to inspect its operations. He asked about consumer complaints, how employees responded to them, and how long it took to resolve problems. The minister personally observed how the call center workers interacted with consumers and even spoke to some consumers directly to understand their complaints.

Earlier in the day, the minister commissioned a 220 kV gas-insulated substation at Achutapuram in Anakapalli district built at a cost of ₹ 77.29 crore as part of efforts to boost power infrastructure in the rapidly industrializing region.

Published – 06 Oct 2026 0:13 IST