Electricity Disrupted at Indrakeeladri Temple
The electricity supply to the famous Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Temple on Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada was briefly disconnected on Saturday due to pending power bills worth ₹3.08 crore. Officials from the AP Central Power Distribution Company Limited (APCPDCL) took the action citing long-standing arrears.
However, following the intervention of state ministers, authorities restored the power supply within a few hours, preventing inconvenience to devotees.
Why Was Power Supply Disconnected?
According to APCPDCL officials, the temple management failed to clear electricity bills since February 2023, despite several notices. As a result, officials disconnected the power supply around 10:30 am on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the temple authorities rejected these claims. They argued that discrepancies in solar power net metering calculations caused the issue. The temple operates a 1 MW solar power plant, installed at a cost of nearly ₹2 crore, and supplies excess power to the grid.
Temple Cites Solar Metering Dispute
Temple Executive Officer Seena Nayak stated that improper implementation of the net metering agreement led to incorrect billing. He also alleged that the power department violated the agreement, which includes provisions for free electricity for ten temple services.
As a result, temple officials believe the outstanding dues do not reflect actual consumption.
Devotees Faced No Disruption
Despite the power cut, temple authorities acted swiftly. They used generator backup to ensure uninterrupted darshan, prasadam preparation, lift services, and other essential activities. Consequently, devotees visiting the shrine did not face any inconvenience.
Ministers Step In, Power Restored
After learning about the issue, Endowments Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy spoke to Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar. Considering devotees’ sentiments, the energy minister directed officials to avoid hasty actions.
Following discussions, APCPDCL officials restored the electricity supply by 2:00 pm.
Temple authorities said they would hold a meeting with Endowments Department officials on Monday to resolve the pending dues and solar power billing dispute permanently.
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