JUDGMENT

Brijesh Kumar, J.-The above noted appeals have been preferred against the common judgment of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, upholding the order passed by the Andhra Pradesh State Regulatory Commission and its finding that the extended activities of supply of energy to the sister concern of the participating industries of A.P. Gas Power Corporation Ltd. (for short, APGPCL ) would require Licence or exemption therefrom under the provisions of Sections 15 or 16 of the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Reform Act 1998 (for short the Reform Act, 1998 ).

2. Shortage of power is felt in most of the parts of the country which, apart from disrupting day-to-day life of the people, quite often than not, creates problem for industries. The States or the Electricity Boards managing the power sector find it difficult to meet the ever increasing demand of electricity. In such circumstances, captive generation of power is not unknown and it is getting quite in vogue but generally it is done in a manner that the factory or industry would generate and consume the power confining it in its premises to run its manufacturing/processing unit. In such circumstances, finding a via media, it appears that