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Articles by Ashwini Chitnis
Odisha privatisation Round 2: Lessons, challenges, and opportunities
The state of Odisha has a predominantly rural and tribal population, with over three-quarters of its residents living in rural areas. Managing electricity distribution in Odisha has been challenging, characterised by high transmission and distribution (T&D) losses, underinvestment, and system inefficiencies. Odisha first ventured into privatising its power sector in the late 1990s.
Parallel but Intersecting: Why Duplicate Electricity Distribution Networks Won’t Work
For more than three decades, electricity reforms have strived to increase private sector participation. Initially, the focus was limited to attracting investments in generation. After the Electricity Act of 2003, this objective was enhanced to include competition, mainly in electricity generation, and giving consumers a choice of supplier through open access.
Do Electricity Distribution Franchisees Work? It’s High Time for a Reality Check Original
Inspired by the success of the "Bhiwandi Model” in the late 2000s, franchisees have become a mainstay of the electricity distribution reform toolkit. Bailout packages ranging from the Financial Restructuring Plan of 2012 to the latest Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) in 2023, advocates are implementing franchisees to reduce losses. While the policy prescription is unequivocal, the ground-level experience suggests a different story. What is a Distribution Franchisee?
Ashwini Chitnis - The Wire Science
Despite Clear Benefits, Why Won’t the Govt. Deploy Flue Gas Desulphurisation?
Despite Clear Benefits, Why Won’t the Govt. Deploy Flue Gas Desulphurisation?
Representative photo: Johannes Plenio/Unsplash Thermal power plants have resisted implementing new emissions standards by repeatedly seeking extensions to the compliance deadline – and the environment ministry has allowed these extensions. Data from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and the environment ministry indicate that most thermal power plants are unlikely to comply even within the extended timeline.
Managing the inevitable energy transition
For the most part of the 20th century, planning broadly involved estimating future electricity demand, adding ever larger conventional generating power and connecting these to load centres through transmission lines. Electricity was supplied to consumers by a monopoly, a vertically integrated utility. Pricing was based on the principle of cross subsidy, wherein large industrial and commercial consumers paid higher tariffs to ensure affordable tariffs for agriculture and households.
Easing power plants' fuel woes
On May 17, the Union Cabinet took two important decisions aimed at streamlining coal allocation to the power sector and making it more transparent and objective. How will these decisions play out and will they be able to address the needs of the fast-evolving sector? Our analysis suggests that while they address some near-term issues, they are unlikely to cater to the future needs of the sector.
(Em)Powering Mumbai: How competitive bidding becomes crucial
This summer, the increase in temperature and electricity use in Mumbai is coinciding with the expiry of the city’s power purchase agreements (PPAs). Mumbai’s electricity distribution companies (Discoms) — Tata Power, BEST and Reliance Infrastructure — have approached the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) for the renewal of their PPAs for which hearings are underway.
SC Order on ‘Compensatory Tariffs' Powers Accountability
In landmark judgement delivered on April 11, 2017, on the issue of ‘compensatory tariff’, the Supreme Court has put an end to arbitrary use of regulatory power, upheld the sanctity of contracts and significantly restricted the impact of power tariffs on consumers. The judgement also holds implications for vital issues such as distribution utility finances, contract enforcement, regulatory governance, public policy, and consumer interest. How did we get to this stage? Let’s take a look.
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