MSEDCL claims T&D losses down to 14.5 per cent in 4 years

Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) director Vishwas Pathak Tuesday claimed that transmission and distribution (T&D) losses have reduced drastically, and said the firm is looking to enlist private participation.

It will finalise franchises for two more circles by month-end, he said.

Addressing a press conference here, Pathak said in the last four years under the Devendra Fadnavis-led government the state has managed to reduce the T&D losses to 14.5 per cent from 17.5 per cent in 2014.

"We, at MSEDCL, have taken various initiatives to reduce the T&D losses. But areas where the losses were very high, its imperative to bring in the private sector," he said.

Pathak said the bid process for appointing the franchisees for Shil-Mumbra-Kalwa and Malegaon circles is in the last stage and the bidders will be finalised by the month-end.

The T&D losses in the Shil-Mumbra-Kalwa circle increased from 49.5 per cent in fiscal 2015-16 to 53.16 per cent in FY 18. Similarly for Malegaon, the losses increased from 47.75 per cent to 52.54 per cent.

Currently, the distribution franchisee model in Maharashtra is being successfully operated in certain parts of Bhiwandi by Torrent Power while Essesl Utilities-owned SND Ltd takes care of distribution franchisee for Nagpur city in three divisions of Gandhibagh, Civil lines and Mahal.

Apart from these, MSEDCL has also decided to privatise the power distribution in cities like Akola, Jalgaon and Aurangabad.

Pathak further said the state is load shedding free and that it has long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) for 28,000 MW and short-term contracts for a capacity of nearly 35,000 MW.