The Regional Power Conference held in Mumbai emphasized prioritizing efforts in Western states for prepaid smart metering and establishing green zones to achieve net-zero emissions by 2047, underlining the importance of power sector capacity and infrastructure security amidst geopolitical shifts. The conference also stressed resource adequacy planning by FY2035, promoting cyber security measures and developing islanding schemes with focused attention on interstate and intrastate transmission capacities through various financing models. Emphasis was placed on cooperation between Central and state governments to enhance nuclear generation capacity towards the goal of 100 GW by 2047 and the development of storage capacities using Pumped Storage Projects and Battery Energy Storage Systems. The conference stressed reducing ATC losses, improving tariff structures, ensuring timely payment of Government dues, and incentivizing efficiency through infrastructure and smart metering works in the distribution sector under the Rural Distribution Sector Strengthening Scheme (RDSS). Prepaid smart meters were highlighted as key to transforming the consumer-utility interaction using data analytics.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Power: Government ministry responsible for power-related matters; organizer of the Regional Power Conference.
Regional Power Conference: A conference held with Western States to discuss power-related issues.
Western States: Group of states participating in the Regional Power Conference.
Prepaid Smart Metering: A type of metering system that should be prioritised in all Government establishments including Government colonies.
Government establishments: Locations where prepaid smart meters should be prioritised, including Government colonies.
Government colonies: Locations where prepaid smart meters should be prioritised, included as a subset of 'Government establishments'.
Shri Manohar Lal: Hon'ble Union Minister of Power and Housing Urban Affairs. Advocated for prioritising prepaid smart metering and creating green energy zones.
Net Zero emission: Target to be achieved by creating special zones for green energy.
PIB Delhi: Press Information Bureau, Delhi. Source of the press release.
13 MAY 2025: Date of the press release and the Regional Conference.
Mumbai: Location where the Regional Conference for the Western Region States was held.
Shri Devendra Fadnavis: Hon'ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra; present at the Regional Conference.
Maharashtra: State represented by its Chief Minister and Minister of State for Energy; hosted the Regional Conference.
Shri Shripad Naik: Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Power and New Renewable Energy.
Shri. Ramkrishna alias Sudin Dhavalikar: Hon'ble Minister of Power, Goa.
Goa: State represented by its Minister of Power.
Shri Kanubhai Mohanlal Desai: Hon'ble Minister of Energy, Gujarat.
Gujarat: State represented by its Minister of Energy; commended for reducing ATC losses.
Shri Pradyuman Singh Tomar: Hon'ble Energy Minister, Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh: State represented by its Energy Minister.
Smt. Meghana Sakore Bordikar: Hon'ble Minister of State for Energy, Maharashtra.
Union Power Secretary: Position held by a participant in the meeting.
Secretaries PowerEnergy: Position held by participants from the participating States.
Cmds: Chairmen and Managing Directors of Central and State Power Utilities.
Central and State Power Utilities: Organizations represented by their CMDs at the meeting.
Government of India: The central government, also referred to as GoI.
GoI: Abbreviation for Government of India.
FY2035: Fiscal year 2035, the time horizon for ensuring necessary capacity tie-ups.
Tariff Based Competitive Bidding: A financing model for development of transmission capacities.
TBCB: Abbreviation for Tariff Based Competitive Bidding.
Regulated Tariff Mechanism: A financing model for development of transmission capacities.
RTM: Abbreviation for Regulated Tariff Mechanism.
cyber security protocols: Measures to be implemented by States to secure power sector infrastructure.
power islanding scheme: Scheme that States should prepare and implement.
Central Government: The national government, support requested by Maharashtra.
DISCOM: Distribution Company, refers to companies whose debts Maharashtra is looking to restructure.
Viksit Bharat: A national goal to be achieved by 2047.
2047: Year by which the goal of Viksit Bharat is to be achieved.
Pumped Storage Projects: A method for developing necessary storage capacities.
Battery Energy Storage Systems: A method for developing necessary storage capacities.
Nuclear Generation Capacity: Area where enhancement is needed with the target of 100 GW by 2047.
100 GW: Target for Nuclear Generation Capacity by 2047.
Average Cost of Supply: Factor used in assessing the viability of the distribution sector.
Average Revenue Realised: Factor used in assessing the viability of the distribution sector.
Chhattisgarh: State commended for reducing ATC losses.
RDSS: Scheme under which infrastructure and smart metering works are being implemented.
August 2025: Deadline for completing prepaid smart meter installation in Government establishments and colonies.
AIML tools: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning tools, used in data analytics based on smart meters.
SK Release ID: 2128438: Unique identifier for the press release.
Ministry of Power
Regional Power Conference with Western States
Prepaid Smart Metering be prioritised in all
Government establishments including Government
colonies : Shri Manohar Lal
Need to create special zones for green energy to
achieve Net Zero emission : Shri Manohar Lal
Posted On: 13 MAY 2025 6:09PM by PIB Delhi
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The Regional Conference for the Western Region States was held on 13 May in Mumbai in presence of Shri
Devendra Fadnavis, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Maharashtra and Shri Manohar Lal, Hon’ble Union Minister of
Power and Housing & Urban Affairs.
The meeting was also attended by Shri Shripad Naik, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Power and New &
Renewable Energy, Shri. Ramkrishna alias Sudin Dhavalikar (Hon’ble Minister of Power, Goa), Shri
Kanubhai Mohanlal Desai. (Hon’ble Minister of Energy, Gujarat), Shri Pradyuman Singh Tomar (Hon’ble
Energy Minister, Madhya Pradesh, through VC) and Smt. Meghana Sakore Bordikar (Hon’ble Minister of
State for Energy, Maharashtra).
The meeting saw the participation of the Union Power Secretary, Secretaries (Power/Energy) of participating
States, CMDs of Central and State Power Utilities, and senior officers from the Ministry of Power.Secretary (Power), Government of India (GoI) highlighted that it is crucial to ensure necessary capacity tie-
ups as per the resource adequacy plan for upto FY2035 so as to meet future power demand. It is also
imperative to make necessary arrangements for development of inter-state and intra-state transmission
capacities through various financing models available including Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB),
Regulated Tariff Mechanism (RTM), budgetary support or monetization of existing assets. Further, in wake of
recent geopolitical situation, securing the power sector infrastructure, including the transmission grid and
distribution systems, is very critical and the States should implement necessary cyber security protocols for
the same. In addition, States to also prepare and implement power islanding scheme.
Hon’ble Chief Minister, Maharashtra in his address welcomed the guests and highlighted the key steps
taken by the State towards improving the quality and reliability of power supply across the State. He also
mentioned about the proposed plan of the State for reducing the AT&C losses and thus reducing the cost ofsupply. He also requested for support of Central Government on various issues concerning the State especially
in restructuring the existing debts of the DISCOM which would help in making them viable.
Hon’ble Union Minister in his address underlined the importance of a future-ready, modern, and financially
viable power sector to fuel the country's growth. He outlined the importance of cooperation and coordination
between Central and the State Governments in achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047. He further
remarked that such regional conferences would help in identifying specific challenges and possible solutions.
He laid emphasis on ensuring resource adequacy and necessary power purchase tie-ups. Further, the States
should also work on developing necessary storage capacities through Pumped Storage Projects and Battery
Energy Storage Systems. He emphasized upon the need to enhance the Nuclear Generation Capacity in the
country with the target of 100 GW by 2047. He mentioned about the need to create special zones for green
energy to achieve Net Zero emission.
He mentioned that the distribution sector is most critical link in the power sector value chain. However, it
faces challenges due to poor tariff structures, sub-optimal billing and collection, and delayed payments of
Government department dues and subsidies. It is essential to reduce the AT&C losses and the gap between
Average Cost of Supply and Average Revenue Realised, to ensure that the distribution sector becomes viable.
To achieve that, it is essential that the tariffs are cost-reflective and Government dues and subsidies are paid
on time to the DISCOMs.
He commended the States of Gujarat, Goa and Chhattisgarh for their performance in reducing AT&C loses.
He also highlighted that distribution utilities should further strive to improve efficiency through
implementation of infrastructure and smart metering works under RDSS. In this direction, the Ministry has
also facilitated ease for fund flows for smart metering works. He also emphasised that the pre-paid smart
meters should be prioritised for installation in Government establishments including Government colonies and
should be completed by August 2025. The Smart meter has huge potential to transform the way consumers
interact with utilities using the data analytics based on AI/ML tools.
The participating States thanked the Hon’ble Union Minister for necessary guidance and also requested for
continuous support of the Central Government for further strengthening the power sector.
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SK
(Release ID: 2128438)