The Andhra Pradesh Generation Corporation Limited (AP-Genco) carried out maintenance overhauls at its large units at Narla Tatarao, Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah, and Rayalaseema thermal power plants recently after a long gap. This work helped boost power generation, reaching a record 6,009 MW on January 4, 2026. The overhaul covered units including the 800 MW facility at Narla Tatarao Thermal Power Station (NTTPS), two 800-MW units at Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah Thermal Power Station (SDSTPS), and the 600-MW unit at Rayalaseema thermal plant. Each overhaul took up to 30 days and was done in a staggered manner. A top AP-Genco official told The Hindu that these overhauls reduced forced outages and increased plant availability. The official also noted, "NTPC overhauls its units every year to keep them in good condition." One of the SDSTPS 800-MW units was not overhauled due to operational reasons. Plans for a capital overhaul at a Srisailam hydel power plant unit were put on hold because of the difficult repair work involved. To manage emissions from older thermal units, AP-Genco uses a mix of domestic and imported coal with high calorific value instead of installing expensive Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) systems. The existing rules require FGD systems only for old units at NTTPS located near large populations. New guidelines say thermal units within 10 km of cities with over a million people don’t need FGD systems if they are going to be retired soon. This gives AP-Genco some flexibility, considering factors like stack height. However, AP-Genco is cautious about heavy investments now. "Cost-benefit analysis has to be worked out carefully and fund-raising depends on many factors," the official explained.