Par panel calls for policy to tackle power availability issues

Policy should be formulated to effectively address existing regional imbalances in regard to the availability of electricity: Report

Amid the country grappling with electricity shortages, a Parliamentary panel today said the government should formulate a policy to effectively address existing regional imbalances in terms of power availability.

Indian power system is divided into five regional grids -- Northern, Western,  Eastern, North Eastern and Southern.

Except the Southern grid, rest of the four are inter-connected. Work is progressing to connect all of them.

"By creating a National Grid, the government has done only half part of the task, remaining should be accomplished by formulation of a policy which can effectively address existing regional imbalances in regard to the availability of electricity in the different states/regions of the country," the report said.

The Standing Committee on Energy's report on 'Development of National Grid' was tabled in Parliament today. The panel is chaired by Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Asserting that inclusive growth is the duty of the Centre, the panel said the problems of electricity shortages in various parts of the country should be addressed.

"The Committee also recommend that the government should allocate more electricity from the central pool to the economically weaker regions/states having acute shortages so that they can also be able to contribute in overall development of the nation," it noted.

The National Grid, once in place, would enable exchange of electricity among the regions, including transmission of surplus power to deficit areas and meeting emergencies. All the grids are expected to be inter-connected by next year.

Citing the example of Eastern Grid, the panel said it was the only the grid that has direct transmission links with the remaining four grids.

Even though theoretically, the region on account of transmission inter-connection should have better availability of electricity. But this area has an energy deficit of as high as 30 per cent, it noted.

"The situation indicates that a National Grid per se is not a solution for the regional imbalances in the country in terms of availability of electricity.

"Rather, if not regulated by a fair policy, it could become an instrument for further aggravating the regional imbalance as economically sound states/utilities will be able to grab the electricity meant for less developed states by bidding at higher rates," the report said.