Forum of Regulators Marks 100th Meeting, Celebrates Two Decades of Power Sector Reform

The Forum of Regulators (FOR), India’s apex statutory platform for electricity sector coordination and regulatory collaboration, has successfully held its 100th meeting at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, marking a major milestone in the country’s power sector reform journey.

The landmark gathering celebrated 21 years of the Forum’s contribution to shaping India’s electricity regulation framework, improving policy coordination and supporting the transformation of one of the world’s fastest-growing power sectors.

Established in 2005, the Forum of Regulators brings together:

• Central electricity regulators

• State electricity regulatory commissions

• Power sector policymakers

• Energy experts

• Government stakeholders

with the objective of strengthening regulatory practices and promoting coordinated development across India’s power sector.

FOR Credited With Driving Major Electricity Reforms

Over the last two decades, the Forum has played a significant role in supporting some of India’s most critical electricity sector reforms, including:

• Open access frameworks

• Tariff rationalisation

• Utility restructuring

• Power market development

• Regulatory harmonisation

• Renewable energy integration

According to official figures, the Forum has delivered:

• 71 sectoral studies

• 55 capacity-building programmes

• 25 model regulations

• 6 technical committee reports

• 37 working group reports

These initiatives have significantly influenced policy design, regulatory consistency and institutional strengthening across India’s evolving power ecosystem.

Industry experts say the Forum has become one of the most important collaborative mechanisms supporting India’s transition toward:

• Energy security

• Renewable integration

• Market reforms

• Sustainable electricity systems

Top Government Officials Attend Landmark Event

The 100th meeting was attended by several senior policymakers and experts, including:

• Dr P. K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister

• Dr V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India

• Shri Ajay Shankar, Distinguished Speaker at TERI

• Shri Jishnu Barua, Chairperson of CERC and FOR

The high-level participation underscored the growing strategic importance of the electricity sector within India’s broader economic and development agenda.

PM’s Principal Secretary Highlights Power Sector Achievements

Addressing the gathering, Dr P. K. Mishra reflected on the remarkable transformation of India’s power sector over the past decade and acknowledged the critical role played by regulators in enabling that progress.

He noted that the Forum had become an important institution for:

• Debate

• Policy refinement

• Regulatory coordination

• Sectoral reform

“It was in this Forum that the complexities of open access, tariff rationalisation, and the unbundling of utilities were debated and refined,” Dr Mishra said.

He added that the Forum has evolved into:

“An institution of reform and guidance”

that has helped India’s electricity sector navigate complex regulatory challenges.

India’s Power Sector Undergoing Massive Transformation

India’s electricity sector has undergone significant expansion and restructuring in recent years driven by:

• Rising electricity demand

• Renewable energy growth

• Infrastructure modernisation

• Transmission expansion

• Electrification programmes

• Energy transition goals

The country is currently pursuing ambitious targets including:

• Net Zero emissions by 2070

• Rapid renewable energy deployment

• Green hydrogen expansion

• Smart grid modernisation

• Energy storage integration

Regulatory coordination is increasingly seen as essential for managing this transition.

FOR Coffee Table Book Launched

During the inaugural session, Dr P. K. Mishra officially launched:

The “Forum of Regulators Coffee Table Book”

The publication documents:

• FOR’s institutional journey

• Major achievements

• Key regulatory milestones

• Future vision for India’s power sector

Officials described the book as both a historical record and a roadmap for future electricity sector reforms.

Chief Economic Advisor Warns of Energy Exposure Risks

Chief Economic Advisor Dr V. Anantha Nageswaran addressed the meeting on:

• Geopolitical uncertainty

• Global energy exposure

• Energy security risks

• India’s economic resilience

He reportedly highlighted the strategic importance of the power sector in reducing India’s vulnerability to external energy shocks amid an increasingly unstable global environment.

Analysts say India’s growing energy demand and dependence on imported fossil fuels continue to make:

• Domestic energy resilience

• Renewable expansion

• Grid stability

• Power market efficiency

key national priorities.

Experts Emphasise Net Zero and Decarbonisation

Energy expert Shri Ajay Shankar spoke extensively on India’s:

Net Zero transition ambitions

and the lessons emerging from the country’s renewable energy programmes.

He highlighted the importance of:

• Accelerating decarbonisation

• Scaling renewable energy

• Expanding clean technology adoption

• Learning from India’s solar mission experience

India’s renewable energy expansion — particularly in solar power — has become one of the world’s largest clean energy growth stories over the past decade.

However, experts say achieving long-term climate goals will require:

• Grid modernisation

• Energy storage deployment

• Transmission upgrades

• Flexible market regulations

• Coordinated policy reforms

Power Sector Seen as Central to India’s Economic Future

The discussions at the 100th FOR meeting reinforced the growing recognition that electricity and energy systems are central to India’s:

• Economic growth

• Industrial expansion

• Manufacturing competitiveness

• Climate goals

• Digital economy

• Infrastructure development

India’s power demand is expected to continue rising sharply due to:

• Urbanisation

• Industrialisation

• Electric mobility

• Data centre growth

• Cooling demand

• Infrastructure development

Regulators are therefore increasingly being tasked with balancing:

• Affordability

• Reliability

• Sustainability

• Investor confidence

• Consumer protection

Forum Positioned as Key Reform Institution

Chairperson Shri Jishnu Barua welcomed members and guests to the milestone event and highlighted FOR’s continuing role in strengthening regulatory governance.

The Forum has increasingly become a platform for:

• Consensus-building

• Policy coordination

• Regulatory innovation

• Knowledge-sharing

• Sectoral problem-solving

Industry observers say its role is likely to become even more important as India navigates:

• Energy transition challenges

• Renewable integration complexities

• Climate commitments

• Evolving electricity markets

Vote of Thanks Concludes Landmark Session

The inaugural session concluded with Secretary CERC/FOR Harpreet Singh Pruthi delivering the vote of thanks.

He acknowledged the contributions of:

• Regulators

• Policymakers

• Experts

• State commissions

• Government institutions

in shaping India’s electricity sector over the past two decades.

India’s Energy Transition Entering Critical Decade

The 100th Forum of Regulators meeting comes at a time when India’s power sector stands at a pivotal moment.

The country must now simultaneously:

• Expand electricity access

• Meet rapidly rising demand

• Integrate large-scale renewables

• Ensure affordability

• Maintain grid stability

• Achieve climate targets

Experts say effective regulatory institutions like FOR will play a decisive role in determining how successfully India manages this complex transition while positioning itself as a global energy and economic power.