Green Growth & Grid Resilience: Odisha's Roadmap to a Sustainable Energy Future

Odisha is often praised for its forward-thinking energy policies. Could you walk us through some of the most impactful reforms that have helped the state grow sustainably while boosting renewable energy adoption?

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Odisha has long held a pioneering role in India's power sector reforms. The journey began with the enactment of the Odisha Electricity Reform Act in 1995, which catalyzed a wave of structural changes. The Odisha State Electricity Board (OSEB) was subsequently unbundled and corporatized, creating independent entities for Generation, Transmission, and Distribution. Notably, the state introduced India's first Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in power distribution in the early 2000s.

In the second wave of reforms between 2020 and 2022, the state assumed full ownership of the Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC), while 51% stake in four distribution companies was transferred to Tata Power under the PPP framework. The Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) was also brought under the Energy Department's purview and corporatized to enhance efficiency.

Odisha's “single buyer” model for bulk power procurement and supply to DISCOMs stands unique nationwide, providing robust energy security. The state's proactive captive power policy has also enabled commissioning of approximately 12,000 MW of captive generation capacity.

Under the Odisha Renewable Energy Policy (2022), the state has implemented a suite of investor-friendly measures - ranging from land allotment to waivers on wheeling charges and electricity duty. Odisha has set an ambitious target of achieving 10.96 GW of Renewable Energy capacity by 2030.

The state has seen major investments in renewable energy. Could you highlight a few key projects and how they're fuelling both economic growth and long-term energy security?