Electricity

REC enters carbon credit market, invites tender for verification work

REC subsidiary RECPDCL has invited bids to empanel agencies for verification and validation work under the Indian Carbon Market framework

UP govt scraps smart prepaid meter system, shifts all users to postpaid

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to discontinue the smart prepaid electricity meter system across the state and convert the already-installed devices to postpaid with immediate effect, Energy Minister A K Sharma said on Friday. The move comes amid growing protests in several districts over alleged excess billing and irregularities linked to smart prepaid meters installed under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). According to an official statement, the decision was taken following directions from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in view of consumer convenience and grievances. Under the new arrangement, consumers will receive electricity bills after consumption, with bills for electricity used in May 2026 to be issued in June under the postpaid system. Sharma said formal orders had been issued for implementation of the new system across Purvanchal, Madhyanchal, Dakshinanchal and Pashchimanchal power distribution corporations as well as KESCO in Kanpur. "Prioritisin

High power demand, but spot prices rise only 1% to ₹5.26/unit in April: IEX

Power demand rose in April, but spot prices increased marginally amid surplus renewable supply and weather-led fluctuations, offering buyers opportunities for lower-cost procurement

CERC draft regulations on mkt coupling do not serve consumer interest: IEX

IEX says proposed market coupling norms may not benefit consumers or deepen markets, as CERC designates Grid India to centrally manage price discovery

India needs two time zones to electrify its future, reduce energy stress

The load on the national grid would get less spiky if the entire nation doesn't simultaneously ramp up electric stoves, EV chargers, and high-intensity cooling in factories and data centres

CERC moots new norms for market coupling across power exchanges

Draft rules aim to centralise price discovery via Grid India, improving transparency, efficiency and competition in India's electricity markets

Heavy coal use, RE growth to insulate India from spike in power tariffs

India's reliance on domestic coal and rapid renewable energy expansion could shield it from global power tariff shocks, even as fuel prices surge amid the West Asia conflict

Not mandatory to install pre-paid power meters: Govt in Lok Sabha

The government on Thursday said in the Lok Sabha that consumers are not required to install pre-paid electricity meters. Responding to supplementaries during Question Hour, Power Minster Manohar Lal Khattar rejected suggestions that the government was compelling consumers to adopt pre-paid meters in a manner similar to private companies. In response to a question regarding how poor farmers, who rely on daily earnings, would manage to pay for electricity, he explained that options for small recharges lasting five to ten days are available. However, he noted that serial defaulters - those who take "pride" in not paying their electricity bills - would be required to switch to pre-paid meters to reduce the risk of non-payment. The minister emphasised that power companies are commercial in nature and need to earn revenue to provide electricity to consumers.

MSEDCL to demerge agri business by April, targets listing by 2026 end

Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company plans to complete the demerger of its agriculture arm by April, a key step ahead of its planned initial public offering for December, a top official has said. "We are targeting an IPO by December for MSEDCL (Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company), and before that, we will demerge our agriculture business, which we aim to complete by April," its Chairman and Managing Director Lokesh Chandra told PTI on the sidelines of the Mumbai Climate Week. The agriculture segment will be carved out as a separate company, not a subsidiary, ensuring its liabilities do not remain on the balance sheet of the core distribution utility, Chandra said. MSEDCL carries total dues of about Rs 96,000 crore, of which nearly Rs 76,000 crore relates to unpaid agricultural consumption, he said. The accumulation of these arrears has led to higher working capital borrowings and financial strain, despite the core distribution business being operationa

Govt cleared ₹38,849 cr projects in 2025 for renewable power evacuation

Centre approved ₹38,849 crore transmission projects in 2025 to evacuate renewable power, as grid expansion, smart metering and discom finances show improvement

Best of BS Opinion: Sebi reforms to make things easier for investors

From Sebi's investor-friendly rule changes and PM Modi's West Asia tour to debates on power grid reform, shrimp exports and a Zomato biography, here's today's Best of BS Opinion.

Massive San Francisco outage leaves 130,000 homes, businesses without power

A massive outage knocked out power to 130,000 homes and businesses in San Francisco on Saturday, Pacific Gas and Electric Co said. The power failure left a large swath of the northern part of the city in the dark, beginning with the Richmond and Presidio neighborhoods and areas around Golden Gate Park in the early afternoon and growing in size. PG&E did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the cause of the blackouts. The outage represents roughly one-third of the utility company's customers in the city. Social media posts and local media reported mass closures of restaurants and shops and darkened street lights and Christmas decorations. The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management said on X there were significant transit disruptions happening citywide and urged residents to avoid nonessential travel and treat down traffic signals as four-way stops. The city's transportation agencies said they were bypassing some Muni bus and BART train stations because of ..

C&I RE capacity may rise to 60-80 GW by 2030, says MNRE secretary

MNRE secretary Santosh Sarangi said C&I renewables could rise to 60-80 GW by 2030, with this year's installations likely above 5-6 GW via bids and contracts

Paris blackout halts metros, darkens streets as thousands lose power

A power outage hit parts of Paris and Hauts-de-Seine on Thursday morning, cutting electricity to thousands of homes and briefly stopping metro services and traffic lights

US faces blackout risks this winter as data centres drive up power demand

Power consumption has grown 20 gigawatts from the previous winter, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. said Tuesday in its winter assessment

CERC's tighter green power regulations may hit clean energy investments

The new framework aims to gradually narrow the permissible gap between the amount of electricity producers commit to supply and what they actually generate

October power output sees sharpest drop since Covid as rains dampen demand

Growth in electricity use has tapered this year due to a broader economic slowdown and heavy rains, which have reduced cooling demand

Power network sharing proposal needs to address legacy PPAs: Former secy

The proposal is part of the new Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2025 floated by the ministry for public consultation

J&K CM rules out electricity privatisation, pledges reforms in sector

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has dismissed speculation about privatisation of electricity in the Union territory, and said his vision is to strengthen and reform the power sector. "We are not talking about privatisation. If we reduce our losses, improve billing efficiency and enhance revenue generation, there will be no need for it. My vision is to strengthen and reform the power sector in J-K," Abdullah said. The CM addressed the gathering at the 58th Engineers' Day at SKICC here on late Monday evening. The event was held to honour the legacy of Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya for his pioneering contribution to engineering in India. The chief minister said electricity generation and efficient distribution hold the key to economic prosperity in J-K. Emphasising the critical role of the power sector, Abdullah underscored the need for J-K to reduce its power losses and then focus on harnessing its vast hydropower potential to strengthen its economy. "This is the o

India achieves 250 GW green energy generation capacity: Prahlad Joshi

India's non-fossil fuel electricity generation capacity has jumped over three-fold to touch 250 GW-mark from 81 GW in 2014, New & Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Wednesday. The country aims to have 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. "India's non-fossil installed capacity has witnessed an extraordinary rise from 81 GW before 2014 to 250 GW in 2025. This decade of consistent growth highlights the country's strong commitment to clean, sustainable and renewable energy, laying a solid foundation for a greener future," Joshi wrote on social media platform X. The minister further stated that this achievement across solar, wind, hydro, bio-energy and nuclear power strengthens our path to 500 GW by 2030 and positions India as a global leader in clean energy. According to his post on the X, the 250 GW non-fossil fuel electricity generation capacity includes 123.13 GW solar, 52,68 GW wind energy, 55.22 GW hydro, 11.60 bio-energy and 8.78 GW nuclear energy.