The ongoing power crisis across the Seemandhra region is set to worsen with talks between Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and the striking Joint Action Committee of Seemandhra electricity employees remaining inconclusive.

The Centre is mulling imposing the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to force employees to return to work as there is a shortfall of over 4,500 MW.

Following the failed talks, the Seemandhra JAC said that they would continue to strike work for the cause of a unified state.

More than 30,000-odd employees of the AP Power Generation Corporation, AP Power Transmission Corporation, AP Southern Power Distribution Company and AP Eastern Power Distribution Company have launched an indefinite strike demanding that the Centre immediately withdraw the move to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh to create a separate Telangana state. This has led to massive power outages, affecting hospitals, train services, petrol stations, ATM machines, and even cellular phone services.

According to available information, the power supply position across the Seemandhra region is worrisome and if the present condition prevails, there could be blackouts for even emergency services. The present demand is around 11,500 MW and the supply is around 6,830 MW.

The interruptions at 220 KV substations include all sub stations in EPDCL, SPDCL and two districts in CPDCL which include Ananthapur and Kurnool.

The Eastern Power Distribution Company loads have come down to 450 MW against the normal demand of 1,600 MW. Southern Power Distribution Company loads have come down to 138 MW against the normal demand of 2,700 MW and the demand has fallen in EPDCL and SPDCL as feeders were hand tripped at 132VV and 33 KV levels.

Further, loss of generation due to coal shortage and technical problems at central generating stations is around 700 MW. The generating stations interruption is about 4,425 MW.

Due to the fallout of the strike, the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transportation Corporation (APSRTC) is losing over R8-9 crore per day with about 11,500 buses off the Seemandhra region. Similarly, the South Central Railway (SCR) officials also evaluated alternatives in case of a major breakdown in power supply. They reviewed the availability of diesel locomotives in Vijayawada-Gudur-Renigunta section and diesel generators to ensure power supply to signalling systems at stations is not affected, SCR said in a statement. Diesel locos can be pressed into service to haul trains in case there is a major shortfall in power supply to railway traction system, SCR said.

Meanwhile, the Centre has expedited the process of creation of a separate Telangana state with the announcement that the first meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoM) will be held on Friday, according to home minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

Shinde will head the reconstituted Group of Ministers, consisting of the following Union ministers ? defence minister AK Antony, finance minister P Chidambaram, minister of health and family welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad, minister of petroleum and natural gas M Veerappa Moily, minister of science and technology S Jaipal Reddy and rural development minister Jairam Ramesh.