Lok Sabha Question No. 3531 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-24
Subject: One Nation One Grid Scheme
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Supriya Sadanand Sule, Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Sunil Dattatray Tatkare, DNV Senthilkumar. S., Kuldeep Rai Sharma

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3531 ANSWERED ON 24.03.2022

## ONE NATION ONE GRID SCHEME

3531.  SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE: DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE: SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE: DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR. S.: SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is implementing One Nation One Grid Scheme and if so, the details thereof along with its benefits;
- (b) the challenges faced by the Government while implementing the scheme and the steps taken to overcome the challenges;
- (c) the capacity of inter-regional transmission links in the country during each of the last three years;
- (d) whether the Government proposes for uniform electricity tariff plan for all sectors of power in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor and the corrective steps taken in this regard;
- (f) whether the Government also proposes to take into account the requirements and capacity of Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in paying the electricity bill easily; and
- (g) if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY

(SHRI R.K. SINGH)

(a) & (b) : 'One Nation One Grid' has already been achieved by integrating all the five regional electricity grids into one interconnected and synchronous National electricity grid in December, 2013.  Further, inter-regional links have been augmented from 35950 MW as on 31.12.2013 to 1,12,250 MW as on 28.02.2022.

Synchronisation  and  strengthening  of  all  regional  grids  have  helped  in  optimal utilization of scarce natural resources by transfer of Power from resource centric regions to  load  centric  regions.  Further,  this  has  led  to  establishment  of  vibrant  Electricity market facilitating trading of power across regions.

## (c) : Details of the inter-regional power transfer capacity of National Grid during the last three years are given below:

| Year                       | Cumulative Inter-Regional Transfer Capacity (MW)   |
|----------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| 2019-20 (as on 31.03.2020) | 102,050                                            |
| 2020-21 (as on 31.03.2021) | 105,050                                            |
| 2021-22 (as on 28.02.2022) | 112,250                                            |

(d) & (e) : There is no proposal of the Government for having uniform electricity tariff for  all  sectors  of  power  in  country.      As  per  provision  of  the  Electricity  Act,  2003,  the responsibility  for  fixing  retail  supply  tariff  of  electricity  falls  under  the  purview  of respective  State  Electricity  Regulatory  Commissions.  Retail  Supply  tariff  of  electricity depends  upon  various  factors  like  power  purchase  cost  and  other  operational  and financial  parameters  of  Distribution  Companies  (DISCOMs)  and  it  varies  across  the DISCOMs throughout the country.

(f) & (g) : As  per  the  provisions  of  the  Electricity  Act,  2003,  the  State  Electricity Regulatory  Commissions  while  determining  the  tariffs  are  guided  by  the  Tariff  Policy. Tariff Policy, 2016 provides that the State Government can provide subsidy to the extent they can consider appropriate as per provision of section 65 of the Act by adopting the following broad principles:

- i. Consumers  below  poverty  line  who  consume  power  below  a  specified  level,  as prescribed in the National Electricity Policy may receive a special support through cross subsidy. Tariffs for such designated group of consumers will be at least 50% of the average cost of supply.
- ii. For achieving the objective that the tariff progressively reflects the cost of supply of  electricity,  the  Appropriate  Commission  would  notify  a  roadmap  in  such  a manner that tariffs  are  brought  within  ±20%  of  the  average  cost  of  supply.  The roadmap  would  also  have  intermediate  milestones,  based  on  the  approach  of  a gradual reduction in cross subsidy.

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