Revamping India's Power Sector: The Road to Energy Resilience by 2035

Union Power Minister Manohar Lal has urged state electricity distribution companies to boost their efficiency, identifying distribution as a crucial element in the power sector. This sector is projected to require a substantial investment of Rs 42 lakh crore by 2032. Speaking at the Regional Conference for the Eastern Region States/UTs in Patna, Lal also proposed the establishment of nuclear plants in states.

The minister addressed the challenges faced by the power sector, including ineffective tariff structures, billing issues, and delayed payment of government dues. To mitigate these challenges, he stressed the necessity to reduce AT&C losses and the gap between the Average Cost of Supply and Average Revenue Realised. He also encouraged engagement with Electricity Regulatory Commissions for cost-reflective tariffs and timely order issuance.

The installation of smart meters was highlighted as a transformative step, with pre-paid meters seen as a solution for timely government payments. Emphasizing cybersecurity, Lal spoke on Islanding Schemes to prevent outages due to cyber threats. He advocated for diverse and balanced power generation, prioritizing nuclear and renewable energy, aiming to achieve the national goal of 100 GW of nuclear energy by 2047.

(With inputs from agencies.)