CAG, in association with the CSOs in Telangana, are working on a project “Accelerating Clean Energy Transition By Improving Stakeholder Participation For Electricity Governance In India”. The project is designed to facilitate consumer and civil society organization involvement in the electricity sector. The local electricity forum convenes monthly meetings as a core activity to deliberate and resolve electricity-related issues within the community.
A media workshop titled “Clean Energy Transition in India: Focus on Telangana” was organised jointly by Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG), Press Club of Hyderabad, and People’s Monitoring Group on Electricity Regulation (PMGER), on 25th May, 2024 at Hotel Plaza, Begumpet, Hyderabad. This was a workshop for media personnel belonging to print, electronic and digital media. Invitees included editors, subject reporters and desk persons. Eminent resource persons such as Prof. K. Purushotham Reddy, Sri. M. Venugopal Rao, Sri. R. Dileep Reddy, Sri. K. Babu Rao, Dr. Narasimha Reddy Donthi, Smt. Richa Mishra and Sri. Vishnu Rao, addressed various challenges in the push for a clean energy transition in Telangana.
Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy at the media workshop
Sri. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Minister for Irrigation and Food and Civil Supplies, promised to examine the possibilities of establishing a Commission on Environment and Sustainable Development. Speaking as a Chief Guest at the workshop, he concurred with the view that clean energy transition is an imperative that cannot be ignored. As part of the Parliamentary Committee on Energy, Sri. Uttam Kumar Reddy said he learned a lot about energy issues and their relationship with the environment and development. He lauded the efforts of the organisers to generate debate on clean energy transition in Telangana and assured that recommendations from this workshop would be given serious thought at the cabinet level.
Sri. Venugopal Rao, environment expert, strongly advocated for a gradual and balanced shift towards renewable energy so as to avoid burdening consumers and minimise the risk of unanticipated technical and financial problems. Given the long-term forecast, a balance between the fluctuating load curve and power mix should be maintained to the extent technically practicable.
Sri. Venugopal Rao at the media workshop
Dr. K. Babu Rao, journalist, cautioned that the addition of 9000 MW of thermal production capacity in Telangana is disastrous. He said none of the political parties are interested in moving away from coal-based electricity production, adding that immediate action was needed on this issue.
Dr. K. Babu Rao at the media workshop
Dr. Narasimha Reddy Donthi, Member, People’s Monitoring Group on Electricity Regulation (PMGER), based on data from Telangana Distribution Company (DISCOM), highlighted the increasing demand for electricity from lift irrigation and industries. Agricultural policies need change and the focus of the Telangana government should be away from input-intensive agriculture, lift irrigation and capital-intensive water projects.
K. Vishnu Mohan Rao, Senior Researcher at CAG, in his presentation, "Overview of Clean Energy Transition in India," provided an in-depth analysis of the nation's progress in adopting renewable energy sources. He highlighted the substantial increase in installed capacities of solar, wind, hydropower, and biomass energy, showcasing the data and trends through comprehensive graphs. He discussed pivotal government initiatives and policies that have facilitated this growth, including subsidies, tax incentives, and supportive regulatory frameworks. Additionally, he addressed the challenges faced in this transition, such as infrastructure limitations and financial constraints, while emphasizing the significant milestones achieved. The presentation underscored the dynamic and ongoing nature of India's journey towards a sustainable and clean energy future.
This workshop was intended to increase awareness among the media personnel on issues concerning energy, electricity and sustainable development in the context of climate change. The deliberations were conducted in such a way as to build the capacities of media personnel, facilitate wide discussion on the subject of clean affordable and accessible energy and formulate appropriate solutions for Telangana.
Media personnel at the workshop
Resource persons came up with suggestions and recommendations including increasing public investments in renewable energy in Telangana, developing a legal and policy framework for deepening the usage of renewable energy, reviewing the burden of increasing electricity demand on Telangana due to lifted irrigation projects, intensive urbanization in Hyderabad and the direction of agricultural growth. The event was widely covered by the media, excerpts of which are available here.