Hyderabad: The power situation in Telangana could get a big boost thanks to two units in Andhra Pradesh, Gayatri in Nellore and the gas-based Lanco plant on the east coast.
A 600-MW unit of the 1,320-MW Thermal Powertech Corporation India (TPCL) started commercial generation late last week and Telangana will get 53.89 per cent or 360 MW as its share. The commercial operation date for the second unit is likely in June.

More relief came from the fertiliser ministry which gave its nod for swapping Regassified Liquefied Natural Gas with K-G Basin a couple of days back. This will give Telangana 242 MW out of 450 MW. Gas from the KG-D6 block will go to the Lanco unit, which is closest to the pipeline. According to sources, generation is underway.

Telangana is buying power from the southern exchange at a rate that varies every day, ranging from Rs 6 to Rs 7.70 per unit. The state has been buying at least 5 millionu nits daily for the past month to overcome the power deficit.

Telangana has also sought 800 MW of power from Dabhol and though NTPC is willing to supply it, non-availability of corridor has become a problem. The government has written to the Union power ministry to allocate 600- 1000 MW of power from the eastern grid, Kayamkulam in Kerala.