Minister calls for efficient power use, urges rooftop solar push

Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar on Monday called on power utilities to intensify public awareness on efficient electricity consumption, urging consumers to shift more usage to daylight hours and expand rooftop solar adoption under the PM Surya Ghar scheme. The Minister outlined a twin-track approach of managing demand and strengthening infrastructure to ensure reliable supply for households, businesses and industry.

Focus on demand management and renewable energy

Addressing a programme at the APEPDCL corporate office in Visakhapatnam, Mr. Ravi Kumar said encouraging electricity use during daylight hours would help ease stress on the grid during night-time peaks. He directed officials to run sustained campaigns on energy efficiency and to step up outreach for the PM Surya Ghar rooftop solar initiative to accelerate installations across urban and semi-urban areas.

Alongside consumption-side measures, he said the government was reinforcing the distribution system to meet growing demand. Pending substation projects are being expedited, new substations are being established, transmission infrastructure is being strengthened, and underground cabling is being implemented in urban centres to improve reliability and safety.

The Minister emphasised that an uninterrupted power supply is critical to attracting investments and creating jobs, noting the Electricity Department’s role in enabling industrial growth across the State.

Compassionate appointments and staffing moves

At the APEPDCL office, the Minister, joined by Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat, MLAs Palla Srinivasa Rao and Velagapudi Ramakrishna, and APEPDCL CMD Pruthvi Tej Immadi, handed over appointment letters to 43 eligible candidates appointed on compassionate grounds. He said the alliance government remains committed to supporting the families of electricity employees who died while on duty and is expediting such appointments to ease their hardships.

He noted that several compassionate appointment requests had been pending for two-and-a-half to three years and that the administration is clearing them without requiring repeated visits to government offices. “So far, over 445 compassionate appointments have been made across the three power distribution companies as well as the transmission and generation corporations,” he said.

Mr. Ravi Kumar added that approximately 6,500 to 7,000 personnel had been brought into the Electricity Department by absorbing energy assistants working in Village Secretariats. In addition, 629 assistant engineer posts are being filled through a transparent recruitment process, he said.

Statements and reactions

MP M. Sribharat urged the newly appointed staff to work responsibly and to do justice to both their profession and their families. TDP State president and MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is prioritising compassionate appointments to support families facing difficulties.

Grievance redressal oversight

As part of his visit, the Minister reviewed public grievances registered through APEPDCL’s helpline and later inspected the operations of the APEPDCL 1912 call centre. He enquired about the nature of consumer complaints, staff responsiveness and resolution times, observed live interactions between call centre personnel and consumers, and spoke directly with some callers to understand their issues.

New substation commissioned

Earlier in the day, Mr. Ravi Kumar commissioned a 220-kV gas-insulated substation at Achutapuram in Anakapalli district. Built at a cost of ₹77.29 crore, the facility is intended to bolster power infrastructure in a rapidly industrialising region and support growing industrial and residential demand.

Why it matters

The Minister’s directives combine immediate measures to smooth peak demand with longer-term capacity and network upgrades. The push for rooftop solar and efficient daytime usage, paired with accelerated infrastructure projects and strengthened staffing, underscores a broader effort to deliver reliable, uninterrupted power while improving consumer service and supporting economic growth.