Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 4 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday directed officials of the Energy Department to work out a special emergency action plan in view of the possibility of a decline in hydroelectric power generation due to the El Nino effect.

The Chief Minister conducted a progress review of the Energy Department, the first after assuming office, and sought details on what precautionary measures the Department has taken to deal with drought conditions. He also directed officials that necessary steps be taken to ensure adequate power supply and pay urgent attention to storage and generation from other sources.

He instructed that coal mines reserved for the government be made operational for energy security and that an adequate coal stock be maintained continuously.

Officials informed that the State's current power storage position is healthier compared to the previous year, and that they have managed to avoid power cuts for the past three years. Responding to this, the Chief Minister said that for the efficient management of renewable energy in the current scenario, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) should be implemented swiftly.

He said, 'We are the IT capital. We are moving in the direction of making our state the AI capital as well.' He added that preparations should begin now for the rising power demand driven by data centres, AI infrastructure, and the digital economy.

Energy Minister K J George told the Chief Minister that the Gruha Jyothi scheme has not caused any burden, but urged that steps be taken to either promptly clear the Rs 12,631 crore in dues owed by government departments to the ESCOMs, or resolve the matter through securitisation.

Pointing out that the State government provides Rs 22,000 crore annually in agricultural power subsidies for the benefit of farmers, the CM directed that programmes such as solarisation, use of energy-efficient pump sets, and demand-side management should be accelerated.

Highlighting that the peak power demand is expected to reach 38 gigawatts by 2035, he advised that a plan to correspondingly increase generation capacity be prepared, along with the necessary financing roadmap.

He said the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) should be implemented swiftly in order to secure central government assistance for modernising meters and the power distribution system, and that smart meters should be installed transparently and within the stipulated timeframe.

He said the State's power grid infrastructure needs to be further strengthened to adequately handle the rapidly growing renewable energy capacity in the State.

The CM said technical issues related to power transmission projects should be resolved quickly, and that problems relating to land acquisition, right of way, and statutory approvals should be swiftly addressed to speed up the projects. (ANI)