Regional Power Conference with North Eastern States Held in Gangtok

The Regional Power Conference for North Eastern States was held today in Gangtok, Sikkim, in the presence of  Prem Singh Tamang, Chief Minister of Sikkim, and  Manohar Lal, Union Minister for Power and Housing and Urban Affairs.

The conference witnessed participation from key dignitaries including Ratan Lal Nath, Minister of Power, Tripura; A.T. Mondal, Minister of Power, Meghalaya; F. Rodingliana, Minister of Power, Mizoram; Jikke Tako, MLA and Advisor (Power), Arunachal Pradesh; and Sanjeet Kharel, MLA and Advisor, Sikkim. 

Senior officials including the Union Power Secretary, State Power Secretaries, CMDs of Central and State Power Utilities, and other senior officers from the Ministry of Power were also present.

Speaking at the meeting, Manohar Lal emphasized the critical role of a modern, future-ready, and fiscally feasible power sector in driving India’s growth towards becoming a developed nation. 

Stressing the meaning of power in understanding the goal of Viksit Bharat, he noted that the regional conference would help in identifying specific tests and tailor-made solutions for the North Eastern states.

Highlighting the sector’s progress, Manohar Lal pointed out that although there is only a minor 0.1 percent gap in meeting current power demand, sustained efforts are necessary to meet future needs.

He underlined the need for advancing all modes of power generation—counting thermal, hydro, atomic, and renewable—while addressing environmental anxieties and aiming for net-zero emissions.

The Minister noted the attainments under government schemes like RDSS and PM-JANMAN in addressing distribution sector challenges and ensuring domestic electrification. 

He stressed the urgent need to improve financial health in the distribution sector by reducing AT&C losses and ensuring tariffs are cost-reflective to bridge the opening between the Average Cost of Supply (ACS) and Average Revenue Realized (ARR).

Stressing the importance of smart technologies, Manohar Lal urged that government establishments, including government colonies, should be prioritised for the rollout of pre-paid smart meters to improve operational efficiencies.

He also encouraged states to leverage the region’s significant hydro-power and pumped-storage potential to strengthen energy security.

Speaking at the event, the Union Power Secretary highlighted the need for considerable capital infusion to meet the growing power demand and drive modernization efforts.

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He stressed the importance of resource adequacy planning up to Financial Year 2030, timely tie-ups for future power needs, and strengthening intra-state transmission infrastructure through various financing models such as Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) and Regulated Tariff Mechanism (RTM).

In his address, Chief Minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang, welcomed the dignitaries and outlined the key initiatives assumed by the State to enhance the quality and dependability of power supply. He also presented Sikkim’s future plans for the power sector and sought support from the Government of India on pending issues.

The participating states expressed their gratitude to the Union Minister for prioritising the development of the North Eastern Region’s power infrastructure and sought continued support from the Centre for further consolidation the sector.