Power crisis can be tackled by upgrading T&D infra: Goyal

Says feeder segregation, metering consumption and harnessing renewable energy potential are the key areas

Modernising transmission and distribution infrastructure will help in overcoming the electricity crisis, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today.

Goyal, who met Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, applauded the state's efforts in the generation of power through renewable energy sources.

"Rajasthan's leadership in renewable sector is indeed noteworthy. Nearly 20% of installed capacity is through solar, wind and other sources," Goyal tweeted.

The meeting (with Raje) reinforced my belief that power crisis can be solved to a large extent by modernising T&D (transmission and distribution) infrastructure, he said.

Goyal added that feeder segregation, metering consumption and harnessing renewable energy potential are the key areas which need to be looked at.

The minister has set transmission and distribution as his focus areas and is working to bring states on board for reforms.

As much as 30% of the power generated in India is lost during transmission and distribution.

Goyal met Vasundhara Raje and Rajasthan Energy Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar on "ensuring 24x7 power supply" in the state.

The installed capacity of power stations in the country was 2,48,509.63 MW and that of Rajasthan alone is 14,945.68 MW at the end of May, according to data on the Central Electricity Authority website.

The minister also thanked the BJP karyakartas (party workers) in the state for historic results in the Lok Sabha polls this year and in Vidhan Sabha elections of 2013.

The BJP won all the 25 Parliamentary seats in Rajasthan in the Lok Sabha polls and 163 of the 200 Assembly seats in the state election in 2013.

Goyal also visited Gujarat earlier this month to understand the state's success story.

He met Gujarat Energy Minister Saurabh Patel and studied the Jyotigram Yojana, which aims at providing 24x7 electricity to all villages of the state.