India’s Power Sector: A Report Card of the last Four Years

India’s power industry is a crucial part of its infrastructure. The government has, in its four years in office, tried to rejuvenate the industry from several roadblocks that had consistently marred its growth. After launching a number of schemes and investing a lot of capital in the sector, here’s how India’s power sector has performed in the last four years:

(i)Generation capacity-

• 1 Lakh MW generation capacity added. (2,43,029 MW in March 2014 to 3,44,002 MW in March 2018)
• India emerges as net exporter of electricity. 7203 MU supplied to Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar in FY 2017-18.
• Energy deficit reduced from 4.2 per cent (in FY 2013-14) to 0.7 per cent (in FY 2017-18)

(ii) One Grid One Nation-

• Expansion of transmission grid by 1 lakh ckm
• Highest ever transformation capacity addition of 86,193 MVA in FY 2017-18
• 26 projects worth Rs. 48,427 crore awarded through Tariff Based Competitive Bidding
• Inter-regional transfer capacity addition more than tripled (16,000 MW in FY 2010-14 and 50,500 MW in FY 2014-18)

(iii)DeenDayalUpadhyaya Gram JyotiYojana (DDUGKY)

• 100 per cent of village electrification
• Outlay of Rs. 75,893 crore
• Funds to states increased by 2.5 times (Rs. 10,873 crore in FY 2010 -14 and Rs 24,890 crore in 2014-18)
• 2,56,750 km HT and LT lines
• 4,09,989 distribution transformers

(viii) Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS)

• Outlay of Rs. 65,424 crore
• 1376 towns IT enabled
• 1900 additional towns under progress
• 1156 towns reported reduction in AT&C losses
• 1,29,093 km HT and LT lines
• 66,947 distribution transformers

(vii) UDAY

• More than Rs 20,000 crore interest cost saved by DISCOMs under UDAY
• Reduction in AT&C losses in 17 states within one year of operation
• Revenue gaps bridged by 33 per cent in one year of operation
• India’s rank improved to 29 in 2018 from 111 in 2014on World Bank’s Ease of Getting Electricity Ranking.

(vi) SAUBHAGYA

• Launched for universal electrification
• Camps organised at village level. Minimum documentation required
• Special drive for economically weaker sections under Gram SwarajAbhiyan
• 60.34 lakh housholds electrified since 11^th Oct, 2017

(ix) Power for All 24*7 –

• Joint initiative of Govt of India and State Govts.
• Roadmap for 24*7 power supply prepared. States ready to ensure 24*7 Power for All from 1^st April, 2019.

(x) Focus on North-East region-

• Electrification of 5855 villages and intensive electrification of 9004 villages completed.
• 130 towns IT enabled.
• 52.28 lakh LED bulbs distributed under UJALA
• Rs. 9866 crore projects undertaken for strengthening/development of intra-state transmission

(iv)UJALA

• 107 crore LED bulbs distributed
• 30.01 crore LED bulbs distributed under UJALA resulting in saving of 15,500 crore per year
• 77.99 crore additional LED bulbs distributed by industry.
• 87 per cent reduction in LED bulb procurement cost through demand aggregation.

(v) 4376 MW hydel capacity addition (FY 2014-18)

Innovations and Initiatives-

Electric vehicles –

• Nolicence required for charging stations
• Procurement of 10,000 e-vehicles for Government institutions

Smart Metering-

• Procurement of 50 lakh smart meters done.
• 1 crore prepaid meters under procurement

Energy efficiency-

• Star labelling program saved energy worth Rs. 22,500 crore.
• Energy efficiency measures through PAT in large industries saved energy worth Rs. 9500 crore

• Energy Conservation Building Code for energy efficient buildings launched in June, 2017

Digital initiatives-

• e-Bidding and e-Reverse Auction for short and medium term procurement of power.
• Enabling payments through NPCI platforms such as BHIM, BBPS, Bharat QR etc. More than 24 crore digital transactions in FY 2017-18 for electricity bill payments.

To bring transparency and to disseminate information to public at large following Apps are launched by the Ministry of Power:

1. SAUBHAGYA – App for tracking household electrification.
2. VidyutPravah – The Mobile/Web App provides real time information of current demand met, shortages if any, surplus power available and the prices in Power Exchange.
3. UJALA (UnnatJyoti by Affordable LED`S for All) – App provides real time updates on the LED distribution happening across the country.
4. UrjaMitra – monitoring of power availability and sending power cut information through SMS
5. MERIT–information pertaining to marginal variable cost and source wise purchase of electricity.
6. UDAY– Allows people to compare DISCOMs on the basis of 26 major performance parameters.
7. URJA (Urban JyotiAbhiyaan) – It is an informative App for Urban Distribution Sector. It captures Consumer centric parameters from the IT systems created under IPDS.
8. TARANG (Transmission App for real time monitoring & Growth) – It is an IT Web/mobile based platform to provide status of both inter and intra state Transmission Projects in the country. This platform also shows the prospective inter state as well as intra state Transmission Projects.
9. DEEP e-bidding (Discovery of Efficient Electricity Price) – The portal will provide a common e-bidding platform with e-reverse auction facility to facilitate nation-wide power procurement through a wider network so as to bring uniformity and transparency in the process of power procurement.
10. Ash Track– linking fly ash users and power plants for better ash utilisation.