In a significant move towards bolstering the country’s power infrastructure, the Indian government is setting its sights on ensuring 24/7 electricity supply across the nation, with a targeted deadline of March 2025. This ambitious initiative follows the successful electrification of households through key schemes implemented over the past decade.
With a focus on providing uninterrupted and reliable power, the BJP-led central government aims to accomplish this milestone by the end of the Financial Year 2024-25. The proposal is positioned as a crucial part of the “continuous reforms” planned if the current government secures another term.
Senior officials from the power ministry emphasize that after achieving universal connectivity, the next logical step is ensuring a round-the-clock power supply. Efforts are being directed towards increasing the average hours of electricity supply, currently standing at 23.5 hours per day in urban areas and 20.5 hours in rural areas, according to details provided by the Power Ministry in the Rajya Sabha.
To achieve the goal of a 24/7 power supply, the ministry plans to introduce relevant provisions in regulations governing distribution companies (discoms), including the Rights of Electricity Consumers and the National Tariff Policy.
“Despite a record-breaking power demand of over 240 gigawatts in the summer of 2023-24, the government, through initiatives like SAUBHAGYA and the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana, has successfully connected all villages & households to the grid over the past five years”.
However, achieving continuous power supply presents challenges, including segregating rural feeders for domestic and irrigation purposes and reducing electricity subsidies. Feeder segregation is critical for ensuring that subsidized power reaches farmers without misuse, with 86 percent of identified rural feeders already segregated according to the UDAY dashboard.
Addressing the financial health of state-owned distribution companies (discoms) is another significant hurdle. The Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Program (RAPDRP) mandates discoms to enhance their operations or risk losing grants for various central schemes. The Liquidity and Payment Security (LPS) initiative ensures timely payments to power generators, while the open access scheme facilitates power supply beyond discoms.
As India charts its course toward achieving a 24/7 electricity supply, these strategic measures and reforms underscore the government’s commitment to addressing both infrastructure challenges and ensuring the reliability of the power grid for the nation’s citizens.
