Govt committed to affordable, reliable power: Shripad
Union Minister Shripad Naik while addressing 36th Raising Day celebrations of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID).
PANAJI
Through the development of the `One Nation – One Grid – One Frequency` system, POWERGRID has unified India’s transmission network, enabling seamless power transfer from surplus to deficit regions and strengthening the reliability and stability of the grid, stated Shripad Naik, Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy.
Naik was addressing the 36th Raising Day celebrations of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) held at Brahma Kamal, Yashobhoomi, Dwarka.
The event was attended by Secretary (Power) Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary (MNRE) Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Chairman CEA Ghanshyam Prasad, Chairman CERC Jishnu Barua, CMD POWERGRID R.K. Tyagi, senior officials from the Ministries of Power and New & Renewable Energy, CMDs of Power PSUs, and other distinguished guests.
Naik lauded the organization’s transformation from its inception in 1989 into one of the largest transmission utilities in the world, with a turnover increase of nearly 74 times and profit after tax rising by about 64 times since inception. POWERGRID now has a net worth of nearly Rs 1 lakh crore and gross fixed assets worth almost Rs 3 lakh crore, reflecting its strong financial and technical foundation.
He also commended POWERGRID’s leadership in Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) projects, maintaining a market share of over 50%, which showcases the organization’s efficiency and competitiveness.
Speaking about the Government’s energy vision under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Naik underscored the commitment to provide affordable, reliable, and clean power for all. He mentioned major initiatives such as the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), PM-KUSUM, PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, Solar Park Development, Solar PLI Schemes, and the National Green Hydrogen Mission, which are shaping India’s transition to a sustainable energy future.
He highlighted the National Electricity Plan for Transmission (2022–2032), which envisions an addition of over 1,91,000 ckm of transmission lines and 1,270 GVA of transformation capacity, requiring investments exceeding Rs 9.15 lakh crore—a major opportunity for POWERGRID to lead the modernization of India’s power grid.
The Minister appreciated POWERGRID’s proactive initiatives in renewable energy integration, including renewable evacuation systems in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh; the Offshore Wind Evacuation Project; and upcoming HVDC systems such as Pang–Kaithal and Khavda–Nagpur, the latter being the first of its kind under TBCB.
He urged POWERGRID to continue innovating in areas such as grid digitalization, energy storage, cyber security, and smart infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of creating a flexible, intelligent, and resilient future grid to support India’s renewable energy ambitions.
