Functioning on crutches, CEA's ability to deliver slows down

Lack of required talent & government negligence stifling apex technical body

The power sector may be poised to take a leap to the next generation of technological advancement but its backbone, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), is hobbling on crutches.

The only technical body in the sector is unable to deliver as it is grappling with a staff crunch, lack of required talent and, ironically, 'technical expertise'.

The three key member positions - thermal, grid operation and power systems - have been vacant for more than a year now.

The position of the chairperson also fell vacant recently, and Major Singh, member (planning) has been given its temporary charge. He also holds the additional charge of member (power system). To add to all this, 46 directors were directly promoted as chief engineers recently.

"With a number of posts at various grades lying vacant, CEA's ability to address a number of issues has been impaired," said an industry expert.

For instance, it took two years for the CEA to submit a report on the historic grid failure which happened in 2012.

The CEA, a statutory body under the ministry of power, was constituted under Section 70 of Electricity Act. It has 15 major functions as specified in Section 73 of Electricity Act, ranging from data collection to setting standards for the power sector. It has also been assigned to investigate any major mishap in the power sector, including grid failure.

Singh, member (planning) and acting chairman, CEA, declined to comment. Other CEA executives said they have replied to the government on whatever apprehensions were raised on their functioning by the Suresh Prabhu advisory group.

Some former members of CEA rue the fact that the cream talent of the country is wary of working in this organisation.

"It's through the national-level Indian Engineering Services (IES) exam that the candidates for engineer post in CEA are selected. The ones with a lower rank come for an interview in CEA. They also later join the private sector. CEA is the best training ground for engineers looking at a future in the power sector but the organisation does not have a structure for growth," said an ex-CEA member.

The lack of proper staffing reflects in its functioning. Power sector companies always contest the figures of CEA. There are cases filed by companies, industry associations on the wrong scale of calculations done by CEA.

"The plant load factor is the determining part of the coal demand and subsequent tariff. CEA's calculations are based on PLF that was prevalent 10 years back. They are yet to update their calculations," said an executive at a power generation company.

In its report on power, coal and renewable energy the advisory committee led by Railway has highlighted the problems in CEA and recommended resurrection. The advisory group report noted that CEA collects data and compiles the details for energy shortages and peaking shortages, on a regular basis, for different states but there "are many who are concerned about the reliability of data on shortages. Therefore, this issue requires a more comprehensive debate to arrive at the concept, approach and methodology".

The report highlights the fact that CEA has an important role in the transition to super-critical and ultra-critical technology in thermal power generation. It recommends CEA to hold international meet on manufacturing to invite global investors and consultants for the same. The committee has also asked CEA to identify global technical organisations and enter into MoUs through assistance of ministry of power.

As a statuary body under power ministry, CEA provides technical advice on any issue. "The authority is not technically equipped. They end up consulting private companies. The result is that their report is biased at times and opposed by one or the other stakeholder," said a senior executive of a power equipment company. The criteria of selection in CEA restricts private sector from applying for any position as one needs to have a background in CEA itself.

In the detailed reply to the committee, CEA highlighted the major constraints being experienced on account of reduced manpower and other infrastructural problems related to human resource development.

"Requirement of capacity building of human resource and other infrastructure and budgetary support needs to be addressed," said the reply to the report.

Those familiar with the functioning of CEA point that the failure of the apex organisation reflects the lackadaisical attitude of government towards research and development, hiring of experts and a bias that government consultancy is a sub-standard career option.

FACTORS CRIPPLING CEA

• Chairperson, key member positions, ground staff and director level positions vacant
  

 

CEA accepts staff crunch but given additional task of preparing vision document for 'Make In India' in power sector
 

Needs infrastructure and budgetary support from the government
 

Salary slab of CEA members lowest in power sector consultancy sector
 

Cream talent wary of joining CEA, no reform done by power ministry to lure experts
 

Advisory committee recommends hiring of global experts, MoU with international consultancies