The two-day Chintan Shivir of the Ministry of Power, held on 22–23 January 2026 in Parwanoo, concluded after extensive deliberations aimed at shaping the future direction of India’s power sector. The Shivir was organised to provide a collaborative platform for reflection, policy discussion, and strategic planning.
Participation and Inaugural Address
The event saw participation from Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Shri Manohar Lal, Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy Shri Shripad Naik, the Secretary (Power), senior officials from the Ministry of Power, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), CPSEs, State governments, State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs), along with industry leaders, experts, and academicians.
While inaugurating the Shivir on January 22, Shri Manohar Lal highlighted the progress made by India’s power sector and stressed the need to confront long-standing challenges. He emphasised that India’s vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047 requires a robust, sustainable electricity ecosystem capable of delivering reliable, affordable, and clean power.
Key Themes of Deliberations
Discussions over the two days focused on major policy and reform priorities, including:
• Draft Electricity Amendment Bill, 2026 to strengthen financial viability and enable energy transition
• Draft National Electricity Policy, 2026 aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047 and energy independence
• Accelerating nuclear energy-based power generation
• Long-term reform measures in the distribution sector
• Optimising transmission, distributed energy resources, and storage to achieve 300 GWh capacity by 2030
• Action plan to reduce litigation and promote de-regulation
Participants engaged in open and holistic discussions aimed at restoring sectoral financial health, improving ease of doing business, strengthening regulatory accountability, reducing avoidable disputes, and placing consumers at the centre of the power ecosystem.
Day-Wise Discussions
On Day One (22 January), discussions focused on proposed changes to the Electricity Amendment Bill to address structural inefficiencies impacting DISCOM finances and industrial competitiveness. The Draft National Electricity Policy, 2026 was also actively discussed, with targets including:
• Per capita electricity consumption of 2,000 kWh by 2030 and over 4,000 kWh by 2047
• 45% reduction in emissions intensity by 2030
• Net-zero emissions by 2070
A dedicated session addressed challenges in fast-tracking nuclear capacity deployment.
On Day Two (23 January), participants discussed strengthening DISCOM financial sustainability, rationalising cross-subsidies especially for manufacturing, railways, and metro systems and optimising transmission and storage planning.
Reports and Rankings Released
During the Shivir, Shri Manohar Lal released the CEA report on the “Roadmap to 100 GW of Hydro Pumped Storage Projects by 2035–36”, outlining India’s growing energy storage requirements. The 14th Integrated Rating and Ranking Report of Power Distribution Utilities was also released, with Torrent Power Ahmedabad and Surat topping the FY2024–25 rankings, while Uttar Gujarat Vij Company Limited (UGVCL) emerged as the best-performing state-owned DISCOM.
Concluding the event, Shri Manohar Lal urged stakeholders to work in close coordination to ensure time-bound implementation of reforms, stressing that sustained collaboration among the Centre, States, industry, and utilities is essential for positioning India as a global leader in the power sector.
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