Author : Sanjeev S Ahluwalia
Publisher : The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
ISBN 13 : 9394657029
Total Pages : 88 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (946 download)
Book Synopsis From Lattus to Lasers by : Sanjeev S Ahluwalia
Download or read book From Lattus to Lasers written by Sanjeev S Ahluwalia and published by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). This book was released on with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The history of electricity in India traces an inverted arc – like a smiley – which starts in the colonial period with private electricity capacity leading, regresses to a mode of near complete public sector monopoly by the 1980s and then traces the upward incline to a near 50% share for private electricity suppliers – not a full smiley but a slightly lop-sided one. The half-smile – like Mona Lisa’s – masks long periods of misallocation of public capital, unabashed populism, and careless adherence to ‘path dependencies’ which plagues bureaucracies the world over. This book asks a few inconvenient questions and provides some out-of-the-box solutions with the intention of enlarging the public debate around how the electricity sector should be regulated and developed going forward. … most impressive is the vast historical canvass it covers placing the electricity sector in the framework of national economic ‘reform’ leading to industry restructuring and the introduction of autonomous regulation, which remain works in progress. Dr Pramod Deo, former Chairman, CERC … encapsulates an ‘electric’ journey of over a 100 years in a succinct yet comprehensive manner. It is a key to understanding the fundamentals of the Indian electricity sector. Gireesh B Pradhan, former Chairman, CERC and former Secretary, MNRE An innocuous subject like electricity springs to life when viewed through the lens of a seasoned policy analyst and researcher. Weaves an intricate tale of the twists and turns of the electricity sector from the restrictive days of colonial rule through consolidation to its present-day spread across the country. The finale is a transformational framework to make the sector future-ready, although … the proposal of multi-state electricity regulators does not fi t the context of India’s fractious and divisive politics. Prabir Neogi, Chief Advisor (Corporate Affairs), RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group … does not stop at only presenting the history and challenges … also proposes bold reform measures, including privatization of distribution and establishment of regional regulators. There may be divergent opinions about some of the measures, but I am sure every stakeholder will agree with the following observation, “India needs to enhance its energy resilience and security. This is possible if the spirit of cooperative federalism suff uses institutional arrangements and public interest trumps political upmanship.” Shantanu Dixit, Prayas (Energy Group), Pune Contents: Foreword Preface Introduction Electricity dispels the darkness The origins of electricity The colonial period: electricity for the elite: 1950–1984 Democratizing electricity supply The Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948 Central planning favours public investment-led development The Industrial Policy Resolution, 1956 The fiscal cost of public electricity supply Electricity-intensive development Changes in consumption pattern The return of private investment: 1985–2020 International comparison of electricity supply Profligate use of electricity shunned Incentives for electricity reform Union government’s initiatives for structural reform in electricity The outcomes of reforms The end of supply shortages Generation capacity utilization lower than optimal Transmission shines Private power exchanges Discoms: the weakest link in the value chain The unfinished reforms agenda Planned electricity development: supply-side triumph or copycat industrial policy? Putting industrial development above basic social and human needs Throwing out the baby with the bathwater Misallocation of public funds Borrowed templates Path dependency Economic growth and competitiveness New pathologies Unresolved issues in electricity supply Electricity suppliers: too few or too many? Has competition in supply increased? Has the unbundling splintered supply to unviable levels? Measures to enhance competition Autonomy for regulators The needs of viable power markets The need for a ‘smart’ grid Four short-term hard choices Trends favouring India High growth can make green power affordable Renewable and hydroelectricity offer unutilized potential Growth of digital connectivity Symmetric policy preferences across parties Bibliography and notes Audience: Adults who are concerned about topical issues but lack the understanding to make sense of what they read or watch in the mass media Shelving: Energy, Power, Mechanical Engineering
