Power ministry asks states to vaccinate power sector employees on priority

The Association of Power Producers has asked the power ministry to treat all operational staff across the electricity supply value chain as a priority category for vaccination

The Union Ministry of Power has written to all states asking them to consider power sector employees as front line workers and vaccinate them on a priority basis.

"Since the government had allowed vaccination of all individuals, I would like to request you to kindly arrange and facilitate special vaccination drive on first priority across all utility personnel working in generation, transmission and distribution sectors, whether on rolls of discoms or contractual, both public and private sectors, as well as in crucial centres/offices of such as central and regional load despatch centres, the control rooms, and other institutions which contribute to the uninterrupted supply of power, on priority basis," said a letter by Alok Kumar, secretary, Union Ministry of Power.

He asked the states’ health machinery to organise mass vaccination camps for all power sector personnel. “It is imperative that the power sector personnel, many of whom work in close proximity with each other and face the general public every day, remain protected from the infection, so that all wings of power supply are able to collectively provide 24*7 uninterrupted power supply,” Kumar said in his letter.

The power industry body, Association of Power Producers, has asked the power ministry to treat all operational staff across the electricity supply value chain as a priority category for vaccination. Maharashtra state government has already categorised all staff of private and government power distribution companies as front line workers, thereby priortising their vaccination.