PowerMin launches e-cert programme to provide regulatory training

New Delhi, Aug 06 (PTI): Power Minister RK Singh on Friday launched an e-certification programme, ‘reform and regulatory knowledge base for power sector’, to provide regulatory training. “The Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy RK Singh launched ‘reform and regulatory knowledge base for power sector’, an e-certification programme to provide regulatory training to the practitioners from diverse backgrounds, here, through virtual mode,” the power ministry said in a statement.
He also launched a Regulatory Data Dashboard which is an e-compendium of data containing state-wise details of tariff and power discoms (distribution companies) performance, developed by IIT Kanpur.
The Dashboard would assist benchmarking of the sector performance, over time and across the power sector utilities. This would help regulators and policymakers as well as the entities themselves to identify areas for improvement.
Minister of State for Power Krishan Pal Gurjar, Power Secretary Alok Kumar, MNRE Secretary Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi, and senior officials from the ministry were present at the occasion.
Among others who attended the occasion were chairperson and members of the Central Electricity Authority, IIT-Kanpur Director Abhay Karandikar, representatives from states and UTs, chiefs of government-owned power firms and discoms, and industry representatives.
Speaking at the event, the power minister expressed his appreciation for IIT-Kanpur for the initiative.
He added that India is preparing itself for the next generation by modernisation, but the process of making system sustainable is a work in progress.
Challenges of energy access and supply have been resolved by establishing capacity generation, making India a power-surplus nation, he added.
Singh further said that “we have established one grid for the country and one unified market for power free from long-term PPAs (power purchase agreements)”.
Steps are being taken to strengthen the distribution system. He suggested that let the full cost be reflected in tariff and then the elected governments can provide subsidy based on that.
He emphasised that in the power sector, regulatory framework is the key to sustainability. Regulators exist to maintain a level-playing field and at the same time, to protect rights of the consumers.
He urged that there is a great scope for standardisation in regulatory framework by research.
The power minister added that deliberations of IIT-Kanpur with regulators and states to lay down a protocol for forum of regulators would be of great service to the electricity sector.