In the latest Review Planning & Monitoring (RPM) meeting of the power sector the union minister for power and new and renewable energy, launched the third edition of the consumer service ratings of discoms, covering their performance for FY 2022-23. Noida Power Company Limited (Uttar Pradesh), BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (Delhi), BSES Yamuna Power Limited (Delhi), and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (Delhi) achieved the highest A+ ranking among the 62 rated discoms in the country. The report aims to encourage healthy competition among discoms and improve key services for consumers.
Additionally, the minister inaugurated Powerthon 2024, providing a platform for startups and entrepreneurs with innovative solutions for power discoms. The initiative includes an incubation programme for guidance, resources, and nurturing by established domestic incubators.
The meeting also saw the release of Electricity Distribution Network Planning Criteria by the Central Electricity Authority, focusing on various aspects of distribution planning processes at the sub-transmission and distribution level, incorporating smart technologies.
The minister acknowledged achievements such as electrifying 29 million households, reducing AT&C losses from 27 per cent in 2014-15 to 15.41 per cent in 2023, and expressing concerns about the increase in ACS-ARR gap from Rs 0.15 per unit to Rs 0.45 per unit in last one year.
The minister also stressed the importance of aligning tariffs with the actual cost of supply, urging regulatory commissions to adopt realistic loss reduction trajectories to ensure the financial viability of discoms. Additionally, states were advised to transition agricultural power supply to solar hours by March 31, 2024, to lower the overall cost of power supply and to take up 100 per cent of segregation of agricultural feeders on priority.