Bhatti accuses BRS of deceiving people in the power sector, rules out privatisation

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka at a press conference at Praja Bhavan in Hyderabad on Wednesday (October 7). | Photo credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR

Deputy Chief Minister and Power Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Wednesday accused the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of misleading people in the state’s power sector and strongly ruled out any proposal to privatize power companies.

He said the government would release documentary evidence every week to counter what he called “false propaganda” about the Yadadri project and the decisions taken by the BRS government.

At a press conference at Praja Bhavan, Mr. Bhatti responded to former BRS Minister T. Harish Rao’s criticism of the Yadadri Thermal Power Plant (YTPP) and questioned the previous government’s decision to start the project without ensuring adequate coal allocation and supply connectivity.

He said coal linkage is as important as land, detailed project report and technical clearance for a thermal power plant. However, he said, the previous government did not adequately assess the source, quantity, quality and transportation of coal required for Yadadri.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka at a press conference at Praja Bhavan in Hyderabad on Wednesday (October 7). | Photo credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR

Mr. Bhatti said that the agreement signed between Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. (SCCL) and TSGENCO in April 2016 projected that Singareni would supply seven million tonnes of the 14 million tonnes of coal that Yadadri requires annually. He questioned how the commitment could be met when Singareni’s production capacity of G-9 grade coal was only 1.71 million tonnes in 2022-23.

He also alleged that the previous government failed to secure new coal blocks or participate effectively in coal block auctions. Fourteen coal blocks were closed between 2014 and 2024, reducing production by about 15 million tonnes, he said.

On the Naini coal block in Orissa, he said the Congress government had initiated steps to start mining operations, but the coal had already been allocated to other power plants and could not be completely diverted to Yadadri. According to him, the government was seeking a separate allocation for Yadadri from Coal India and the Union government.

Mr. Bhatti said the Yadadri project also suffered delays due to issues related to environmental clearances and proceedings before the National Green Tribunal. A new public hearing was held in February 2024 and outstanding issues were subsequently resolved, he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister also said that Telangana’s peak power consumption reached 19,892 MW despite the impact of El Nino, but the government maintained uninterrupted supply without imposing power cuts.

Published – 7 Oct 2026 21:07 IST