Page 4 - Electricity Sector

Heatwaves drove 1/3rd of rise in India's power demand in 2024: Report

India's electricity demand during the severe heatwave months of April to June 2024 rose by 10.4 per cent compared to the corresponding period the year before, with increased use of air conditioning contributing to nearly a third of the rise, according to a new report released on Tuesday. The sixth edition of global energy think tank Ember's Global Electricity Review also said heatwaves were responsible for almost a fifth of the increase in global electricity demand in 2024 and were the main reason behind a 1.4 per cent rise in fossil fuel-based power generation. This led to a 1.6 per cent increase in global power sector emissions, adding 223 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and pushing total emissions to a record high of 14.6 billion tonnes. Without the heat-related demand, fossil generation would have grown just 0.2 per cent, as clean energy met 96 per cent of the demand growth not caused by hotter temperatures, said the report. In India, electricity demand during April-September

SC upholds Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission's open access rules

The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the validity of the 2016 regulations of the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC) on terms and conditions to regulate open access of power to industrial consumers. A bench comprising justices Vikram Nath and Prasanna B Varale dismissed a batch of appeals filed by industrial consumers, including Ramayana Ispat Pvt Ltd, against the Rajasthan High Court decisions from both its Jodhpur and Jaipur Benches. The high court verdicts had upheld the validity of the RERC (Terms and Conditions for Open Access) Regulations, 2016. The key change introduced by the Regulations of 2016 was the imposition of limitations on the simultaneous withdrawal of power through open access and contracted demand from the distribution licensee. Under the new regime, if a consumer opted to procure power through open access, the contracted demand from the distribution licensee would be reduced by the quantum of power scheduled through open access and additionally, t

Punjab power regulator unveils new tariffs, no hike for domestic consumers

Punjab power regulator PSERC on Friday announced a new tariff order for 2025-26 with no hike in electricity charges for domestic consumers. The Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission determined the revenue surplus of Rs 311.50 crore after the requisite detailed prudence check even as power utility Punjab State Power Corporation Limited had submitted that it has a revenue deficit of Rs 5,090.89 crore and had requested an increase of tariff accordingly. An official release said in the case of domestic supply and non-residential supply consumers, the three-slab system in the electricity tariff has been converted into the two-slab system without any extra financial load on consumers. "This will help towards easy preparation and consumer-friendly bills," it said. "With the merging of slabs, no consumer will be paying anything extra. Domestic consumers with more than 300 units will be paying lower charges by approximately Rs 160 per month for loads up to 2 kW, Rs 90 a month for .

Steps taken for meeting 277 GW peak power demand in FY26: Shripad Naik

The government has taken steps to ensure uninterrupted power supply and meet the projected peak power demand of 277 GW in 2025-26, Union Minister Shripad Naik said on Thursday. The All India Peak Demand for 2024-25 (till February) was 249.856 GW, registered on May 30, 2024. However, this peak demand was successfully met with only a marginal gap of 2 MW, the Minister of State for Power said in a reply to the Lok Sabha. In 2025-26, Naik said a peak demand of 277 GW is expected as per the mid-term review of the 20th Electric Power Survey. "The country is confident to meet this projected demand with optimal usage of existing and under construction capacities," he said. Besides, all power generation companies, including independent power producers (IPPs) and central generating stations, have been advised to generate and maintain full availability on a daily basis, excluding the period of planned maintenance or forced outage. Planned maintenance of generating units is being minimised .

Adani restores power supply to Bangladesh as regular payments resume

Adani Power Ltd had halved electricity supply to Bangladesh from its 1,600 megawatt coal-fired plant in Jharkhand in November following a series of missed payments by Dhaka

Tata Power DDL partners with Probus to advance smart metering technology

Tata Power Delhi Distribution on Friday said it has collaborated with Probus Smart Things to revolutionize smart metering technology through the adoption of a universal Network Interface Card (NIC) with Bluetooth-enabled communication. As part of this collaboration, Tata Power-DDL and Probus will jointly create innovative use cases to advance smart metering technology and will file joint patents to protect the intellectual property arising from these efforts, the company stated. "This initiative aligns with Tata Power-DDL's vision of providing reliable, efficient, and sustainable solutions for our consumers," Gajanan S Kale, Chief Executive Officer, Tata Power DDL said. The Universal NIC, designed to enhance smart metering capabilities, represents a breakthrough in the energy sector by enabling reliable and efficient communication even in the absence of primary networks. The Universal NIC provides enhanced connectivity as bluetooth-enabled communication ensures meter data collectio

Union Budget 2025-26: Key challenges in power infrastructure outlined

The Budget presents a unique opportunity to revisit some of the key modernisation programmes, said Shardul S Fadnavis, Partner & Utility transformation leader, PwC India

Power producers face loss as CERC bars payment till plants begin ops

Power producers have opposed Central Electricity Regulatory Commission's new norm of not mandating any payments for power they supply to grid before start of commercial production as it may lead to heavy losses. An association of power producers on January 23 wrote to CERC on the new provision for so-called infirm power, seeking a review of the norm. The decision to not pay for infirm power will lead to a huge loss. Thermal power generators can incur an expense to an extent of Rs 1,000 crore during the 6-12 month trial period towards infirm power before they achieve commercial operation of the plant. "All generating stations will face serious financial constraints in conducting the testing and commissioning activities to complete the trial run operation, as there will not be any source of funding for the fuel expenses. Normally, lenders do not fund fuel expenses," the Association of Power Producers wrote to CERC. Earlier, the regulatory regime allowed recovery of some price/cost ..

China's richest regions cut electricity prices to protect industries

The richest coastal provinces have reduced their benchmark thermal power prices by about 10 per cent from last year

MP cabinet approves solarisation of all rural feeders to cut subsidy burden

The solar-powered 11 KV feeders will provide last-mile electricity supply to farms, effectively making it free for farmers

Maha farmers to drive second green revolution with green energy: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday that adopting green energy will allow farmers in the state to lead the second green revolution soon. He said solar-powered villages are being developed across the state to ensure electricity is available to farmers during the daytime. "Adoption of green energy will pave the way for Maharashtra's farmers to lead the second green revolution in the near future," the chief minister said. Fadnavis inaugurated projects at Umbratha in Washim district and Narangwadi in Dharashiv district under the Chief Minister's Solar Agriculture Feeder Project 2.0 via video conferencing. He said the Solar Agriculture Feeder Scheme would provide farmers with sustainable and free electricity during the day. Currently, 16,000 MW of electricity is supplied to agriculturists in Maharashtra. Fadnavis said the initiative to shift all feeders (a power line that transmits electricity from a substation or generating station to distribution points) to s

Adani Energy Solutions incorporates wholly owned subsidiary AESSTL

Adani Energy Solutions (AESL) on Thursday said it has incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary Adani Energy Solutions Step-Ten Ltd (AESSTL). The AESSTL is incorporated in India and registered with the Registrar of Companies, Gujarat in Ahmedabad on December 18, 2024 and is yet to commence business operations, a regulatory filing said. According to the filing, AESSTL is incorporated by AESL, for transmission, distribution and supply of power and other infrastructure services relating thereto. The authorised share capital as well as paid-up share capital of the arm is Rs 1 lakh. The equity shares are being acquired at a face value of Rs 10 each. The AESL will hold 100 per cent equity of the AESSTL.

Over 100 global firms to showcase innovations at Bharat battery show in Jan

Over 100 global firms from countries like the US, Japan, China and India will showcase cutting-edge innovations at the Bharat Battery Show in January 2025. The second edition of the Bharat Battery Show (as part of the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025) is shaping up very well with the global participation of companies from various countries, a statement said. According to the statement, a Singaporean delegation will visit the global expo to explore Indian market opportunities. Bharat Mobility, led by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is a landmark event. It is set to bring together over 1,000 exhibitors and attract more than 5,00,000 visitors from over 50 countries, it added. Over 100 global companies from the US, Japan, Korea, Singapore, China, and India will showcase cutting-edge innovations at the Bharat Battery Show, the statement said. The India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), a prominent industry partner for the mega event, will play a key role by hosting the Bharat Batt

Cong to provide 400 units of free electricity if voted to power in Delhi

The Congress will provide free electricity up to 400 units a month if it assumes power in Delhi, the party's city chief Devender Yadav said on Tuesday. Yadav said in a statement that the Congress would also implement strict checks and balances to stop discoms from "looting" consumers with inflated power bills. The AAP-led Delhi government currently provides free electricity up to 200 units a month. Addressing participants at the Delhi Nyay Yatra in the Kirari assembly segment, Yadav said the Congress fulfilled all its election promises in every state the party assumed power. However, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal only devised excuses for his failure to execute the free schemes and blamed the lieutenant governor and others for his own incompetence to translate words into action, he alleged. Kejriwal had promised to transform Delhi into Paris and London. He had claimed before the 2022 Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections that AAP would clear the three garbage mounds in the nationa

India to provide powerplant control centre to South Africa's Eskom

India will provide South African parastatal electricity supplier Eskom with a Powerplant Control Room simulator to train locals in Eskom's plans to renew and repurpose its power stations across the country, an official has said. The announcement was made on Friday after representatives of a dozen Indian energy companies met Eskom executives on the sidelines of the Urja Matla Energy Conference. The conference was hosted by the Indian Consulate General and the Wits Business School. Harish Kumar, Commercial Representative and Head of Chancery at the Indian Consulate in Johannesburg, said at the meeting that India was ready to help Eskom in renovation and modernisation, equipping them with efficient systems through supercritical and ultra supercritical sets, emission control, and latest technologies in transmission and distribution. "Also, we would be willing to provide a simulator of Powerplant Control Room to train the local manpower of Eskom in the operation of power plants. This ..

Best of BS Opinion: The power to reform, rethinking suspension and more

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

Power companies should coordinate in electricity production: Khattar

Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar emphasised the need for power companies to coordinate in electricity production and distribution to provide relief to consumers and prevent losses. Addressing the eighth annual Distribution Utility Meet (DUM) conference here, Khattar highlighted that energy would play a critical role in strengthening the economy and achieving India's goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. "All electricity companies should work together to ensure that consumers aren't overburdened and that companies avoid losses," he said. Khattar also stressed the importance of increasing power generation nationwide and ensuring energy accessibility across all regions. He underlined the need for a greater focus on green and solar energy to reduce carbon emissions, noting that current energy demand is 250 GW and continues to rise. The Union minister suggested states focus on establishing nuclear-based power plants and noted that the government is working toward ...

India's energy future: Small modular reactors need strong policy backing

While conventional renewable energy (RE) generation is now cheap, storage is not

India extends operation of imported coal-based power plants: Circular

Mandate comes despite the country's coal fired power output falling for a second straight month in September on an annual basis due to slower growth in electricity usage and surge in solar generation

PLI scheme for power transmission soon: Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal

He was speaking on the sidelines of a brainstorming session organised by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the technical arm of the Ministry of Power