Lok Sabha Question No. 326 (STARRED), answered on 2018-08-09
Subject: Power Shortages
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: DODDAALAHALLI KEMPEGOWDA SURESH, NALIN KUMAR KATEEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.326 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.08.2018

## POWER SHORTAGES

*326.   SHRI D.K. SURESH: SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether approximately 40 per cent of the country still faces power shortages and/or has no access to electricity;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  it is true that surplus generating power  capacity  is available in our country and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  there  are  leakages  across the transmission and distribution chain in the country; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the measures taken by the Government to put an end to leakages to save energy?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY

( SHRI  R.K. SINGH )

(a) to (e) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF STARRED QUESTION NO.326 TO BE ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON 09.08.2018 REGARDING POWER SHORTAGES. ********* (a) to (c) : No,  madam. As on 30.06.2018, the installed  generation  capacity is about 344 Giga Watt (GW) which is more than sufficient to meet the present peak power demand of the country which was around 170 GW during the current year 2018-19 (upto July, 2018).  However, there are some states in the country where there  is  gap  between  peak  demand  and  peak  met.  This  gap  is  generally  on account  of  factors,  other  than  adequacy  of  power  in  the  country  such  as  subtransmission & distribution network constraints and financial constraints. Government  of  India  also  launched  Pradhan  Mantri  Sahaj  Bijli  Har Ghar Yojana -'Saubhagya' to achieve universal household electrification. As on 06.08.2018, there are 21.92 crore households in the country; of these 19.42 crore households  (88.57%)  have  been  electrified  and  all  the  remaining  2.50  crore households (11.42%)  are  targeted  for  electrification  under  the  ongoing  Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -'Saubhagya' by 31 st March, 2019. (d) to (e) : Yes, madam. The leakage of electrical energy along with technical loss in Transmission  and  Distribution (which are inevitable in a system), inadequate  Billing efficiency and  non-recovery  of  billed  amount  (collection efficiency)  are  collectively  termed  as  Aggregate  Technical  and  Commercial (AT&C) losses. As per data posted by UDAY States / UTs on UDAY portal for UDAY States/UTs  AT&C  loss  was  18.75%  as  on  31-Mar-2018.  20  UDAY  States/UTs reduced AT&C losses in  FY2017-18 as compared to FY2016-17. The AT&C loss has reduced from 20.74% during 2015-16 to 18.75% during 2017-18. Government is taking various measures to reduce the AT&C loss like installation of feeder meters, Distribution Transformers (DT) meters, Smart Meters for  improved  metering  and  auditing.  Operational  efficiency  improvements  like smart/prepaid metering, upgradation of transformers, meters etc., energy efficiency measures like efficient LED bulbs, use of Aerial Bunched Cables (ABC), agricultural  pumps,  fans  &  air-conditioners  etc.  will  reduce  the  average  AT&C loss. Govt. of India launched Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) on 20.11.2015  for  the  financial  and  operational  turnaround  of  State-owned  Power Distribution  Companies  (DISCOMS).  The  scheme  aims  to  reduce  Aggregate Technical & Commercial (AT&C) losses to 15% by FY 2018-19. Government  of  India  is  assisting  states  through  schemes  like Deendayal  Upadhyaya  Gram  Jyoti  Yojana  (DDUGJY)  and  Integrated  Power Development  Scheme  (IPDS)  etc.  for  strengthening  of  sub-transmission  and distribution networks which would also help in reduction of AT&C losses.

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