THE POWER SECTOR IS VITAL FOR VIKSIT BHARAT

THE FIRST GENERATION of reforms in the power sector in India involved separating the transmission function from generation and distribution for greater transparency, efficiency, and accountability.

- KARANA. SINGH & ANIRUDH TEWARI

The system has worked well, with most transmission utilities doing well despite being impacted by the financial stress in Distribution Companies (Discoms).

Transmission – Connecting India

Today’s transmission sector needs innovation and investment rather than any policy reform. With the increased integration of renewable energy (RE) leading to a shift in greater flexibility in the operation of thermal power plants (TPPs) and energy storage solutions, the grid would need to become more robust and smart. Given the first suggested reform on the National Merit Order Despatch, we recommend that in the second reform, each state’s ATC (Available Transfer Capacity) must be augmented to the levels of its total intra-state peak demand so that the National Merit Order Despatch can yield the most optimum results. Huge investments and upgradation in the national grid, like introducing monopoles with insulated cross arms to tackle the right-of-way problem, are required to cut down on transmission losses and increase redundancy, thereby improving the quality and cost of power for the consumer. These investments will benefit consumers, generators and transmitters in terms of greater flexibility and cost advantages.

Distribution – the Achilles Heel