The State government has approved Rs 5,215.8 million (5,215.8 mn) under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply for the upcoming Akhanda Godavari Maha Pushkaralu 2027. The clearances were granted at a State Distribution Reforms Committee review meeting chaired by Chief Secretary G Sai Prasad and attended by Special Chief Secretary (Energy) K Vijayanand and other officials. The package is intended to bolster distribution capacity and reduce the risk of outages during the festival. With the 12-day event expected to draw nearly 10 million (10 mn) devotees daily to the Godavari region, the committee noted an anticipated additional power demand of 100 megawatt (MW) in Rajamahendravaram and sanctioned Rs 3,455.4 million (3,455.4 mn) for targeted infrastructure works across Rajamahendravaram, Konaseema, Kakinada and West Godavari districts. Approved works include construction of new 33/11 kilovolt (kV) substations, laying additional 33 kV and 11 kV transmission lines, augmentation of transformer capacities and deployment of distribution transformers. The Chief Secretary directed officials to complete and rigorously test the entire system well ahead of the festival timetable. Beyond festival preparations, the committee approved a Rs 1,760.4 million (1,760.4 mn) technology modernisation proposal to upgrade the existing Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system in Visakhapatnam and to establish a new SCADA setup in Rajahmundry to enable real-time grid monitoring, remote substation operation and faster fault detection. Addressing project delays caused by field-level challenges, the committee extended deadlines for all ongoing RDSS loss-reduction works and Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Provider smart meter contracts until March 31, 2027. The extension covers critical works by Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited, Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited and Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Limited, including agricultural feeder segregation, bifurcation of overloaded feeders and a high priority underground cabling project in Vizag designed to safeguard the coastal city's grid against natural disasters.