For the first time in the history of power sector, the Centre Government has indulged in an exercise of making a well documented and intensively comprehensive "Long Term Distribution Plan" to attack supply side constraints of the power sector to enable India access 24X7 power supply, especially all in its rural pockets, according to Director, Ministry of Power, Vishal Kapoor.
Kapoor who was speaking at a National Conference on Power Transmission & Distribution under aegis of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry added that the Union Power Ministry has already assigned this task on Central Electricity Authority (CEA) that would finish off preliminary work on it in next 3-4 months.
According to him, the CEA would initiate this exercise with intense interactions with all states, UTs including centre and other such stakeholders by addressing the issues relating to transformers, sub-stations and the like with existing and available technologies so that the power availability in India's rural landscapes and its every nook and corner is not questioned.
He held that Union Power Ministry in the past came out with several documented details relating to generation, distribution power theft and whole lot of other policy issues but never made an attempt to document a long term detailed plans addressing challenges of distribution side of the power sector.
It is for the first time, this exercise is being undertaken, the sole objective of which is to make sure that India and its rural areas are fed with uninterrupted power supply under the present regime, the focus of which is to not only satisfy the power consumers with quality power but also to bring out the DISCOMS that's financial health is under severe crisis out of their present mess, felt Kapoor.
With the launch of UDAY, the conditions and health of power distribution utilities have begun to improve significantly since its take off a year ago and even the plant load factor of state owned power generating utilities underwent a sea change with their improved efficiencies as a result of which the power tariff per unit came down by 40 paisa.
On the occasion, Chief Engineer, CEA, Ashok Kumar Rajput made a detailed presentation on host of issues that confront the power sector, prescribing solutions and initiatives of the CEA to attack those judiciously so that the power situation under goes a metamorphic changes. The conference was moderated by Director, PHD Chamber, Dr. Ranjeet Mehta.
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