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EVOLVING PERSPECTIVES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDIAN INFRASTRUCTURE
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Evolving Perspectives in the Development of Indian Infrastructutre

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  • EVOLVING PERSPECTIVES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OFINDIAN INFRASTRUCTURE

  • EVOLVING PERSPECTIVES IN THEDEVELOPMENT OF INDIAN INFRASTRUCTURE

    Volume 1

    Infrastructure Development Finance Company Limited

  • ORIENT BLACKSWAN PRIVATE LIMITED

    Registered office3-6-752 Himayatnagar, Hyderabad 500 029 (A.P.), India

    Email: [email protected]

    Other officesBangalore, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Chennai

    Ernakulam, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata,Lucknow, Mumbai, New Delhi, Noida, Patna

    Infrastructure Development Finance Company Limited 2012First published 2012

    All rights reserved.No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by

    any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording,or in any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written

    permission of Orient Blackswan Private Limited.

    ISBN 978 81 250 4666 0

    Typeset in Minion 11/14 byTrendz Phototypesetters, Mumbai 400 001

    Printed in India atAegean Offset Printers, Greater Noida

    Published byOrient Blackswan Private Limited

    1/24 Asaf Ali RoadNew Delhi 110 002

    E-mail: [email protected]

    The external boundary and coastline of India as depicted in themaps in this book are neither correct nor authentic.

  • CONTENTS

    List of Tables, Figures and Boxes vii

    Foreword by Rajiv B. Lall xv

    Acknowledgements xvii

    Introduction xix

    List of Abbreviations xxiii

    ENERGY 1 Power Sector Reform: Policy Decisions in Distribution 3

    2 Power Sector in India: A Summary Description 13

    3 Power Sector Reform in Argentina: A Summary Description 22

    4 Orissa Power Sector Reform: A Brief Overview of the Process 31

    5 Power Sector Financing: A Note on Conditionalities 40

    6 Six Steps to Accelerated Privatisation of Electricity Distribution 52

    7 Regulation of Petroleum Product Pipelines 70

    8 Incentives, Ownership and Performance inPower Sector: The Case of UP 108

    9 Discussion Paper on Developing Power Markets 124

    10 Captive Coal Mining by Private Power Developers:Issues and the Road Ahead 143

    11 Power Distribution Reforms in Andhra Pradesh 163

    12 Power Distribution Reforms in Maharashtra 181

    13 Power Distribution Reforms in Gujarat 202

    14 Barriers to Development of Renewable Energy inIndia and Proposed Recommendations: A Discussion Paper 222

    15 Power Distribution Reforms in Delhi 273

    16 Power Distribution: Being Driven toInsolvency by a Governance Crisis 290

    17 India Solar Policy: Elements Casting Shadow onHarnessing the Potential 334

    TELECOMMUNICATIONS18 Telecom Sector Reform: Restructuring

    Telecommunications as if the Future Mattered 363

    19 Transitioning from Administrative Allocation ofSpectrum to a Market-based Approach 372

  • LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES AND BOXES

    Tables

    Table 3.1 Total production of electricity and the share ofdifferent types of generation 22

    Table 6.1 Timeline for accelerated privatisation of distribution 68

    Table 7.1 Supply/demandpetroleum products (in mmt) 74

    Table 7.2 Supply/demandnatural gas (in mmscmd) 76

    Table 7.3 Gas demand estimates of different government agencies 78

    Table 7.4 Total gas supply potentialTenth Plan (in mmscmd) 79

    Table 7.5 Total gas supply potential post KG Basin find (in mmscmd) 80

    Table 7.6 Projections for POL consumption 20012008(in 000 metric tonnes) 97

    Table 7.7 List of LNG terminals 97

    Table 7.8 List of crude pipelines 98

    Table 7.9 List of gas pipelines 98

    Table 7.10 List of refineries 99

    Table 7.11 List of oil product pipelines 99

    Table 7.12 List of ports handling oil/petroleum products 100

    Table 8.1 Cumulative commercial losses of consolidated UPPCL 111

    Table 8.2 Performance parameters 112

    Table 8.3 Performance of UPRVUNL generating stations 114

    Table 8.4 Reduction of AT&C loss in North Delhi Power Ltd 117

    Table 8.5 Collection efficiency (%)governmental andnon-governmental categories 119

    Table 9.1 Recommended loan conditions 132

    Table 9.2 Trading margins 136

    Table 10.1 Coal blocks identified for the power sector 144

    Table 10.2 Criteria for allocation of coal blocks 146

    Table 10.3 Pre-production approvals for allottees of coal blocks 147

    Table 10.4 Comparison of mining leases in Australia, Canada and India 151

    Table 10.5 Normative time limit ceilings as provided in guidelinesfor allocation of captive blocks and conditions of allotmentthrough the screening committee, Ministry of Coal 156

  • Table 10.6 Minimum time frame of process 159

    Table 11.1 Steps taken for power sector reforms in Andhra Pradesh 168

    Table 11.2 Investment in infrastructure 172

    Table 11.3 AT&C losses (%) of distribution companies 174

    Table 11.4 Collection efficiency (%) of distribution companies 175

    Table 11.5 Subsidy received 175

    Table 11.6 Profit with and without subsidy 176

    Table 11.7 Peak deficit and energy deficit in AP 177

    Table 11.8 Subsidy received by distribution companies 178

    Table 11.9 Sales mix (%) of distribution companies 179

    Table 11.10 Revenue mix (%) of distribution companies 179

    Table 11.11 Expenses as (%) of total cost for distribution companies 179

    Table 12.1 Progress of Single Phasing Scheme 188

    Table 12.2 Power scenario in Bhiwandibefore and after franchising 192

    Table 12.3 Profits of MSEDCL 196

    Table 12.4 MSEDCLs arrears 196

    Table 12.5 Sales mix (as percentage of total units sold) 200

    Table 12.6 Revenue mix (as percentage of total revenue) 200

    Table 12.7 Expenses as percentage of total expense 201

    Table 13.1 AT&C losses for distribution companies 213

    Table 13.2 Distribution losses of discoms 213

    Table 13.3 Collection efficiency of distribution companies 214

    Table 13.4 Subsidy received by distribution companies 215

    Table 13.5 Gap between ARR and ACS for distributioncompanies without subsidy 216

    Table 13.6 Profits of distribution companies without subsidy 216

    Table 13.7 Profits of distribution companies with subsidy 216

    Table 13.8 Gujarat state peak deficit and energy deficit 217

    Table 13.9 Quality of Service parameters for discoms 218

    Table 13.10 Sales mix of distribution companies 219

    Table 13.11 Revenue mix of distribution companies 219

    viii | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

  • Table 13.12 Expenses as percentage of total cost fordistribution companies 219

    Table 14.1 RE potential and target cumulative capacity addition (in MWeq) 225

    Table 14.2 Mismatch between RE capacity envisaged under policy and capacityaddition targeted 229

    Table 14.3 Policy instruments for promotion of RE 232

    Table 14.4 Regulatory framework for promotion of RE 234

    Table 14.5 Penalties for non-achievement of RPO 235

    Table 14.6 Status of RPO across Maharashtra 235

    Table 14.7 RET capacity added across states with tariff orders/FiTs 236

    Table 14.8 Year-wise wind power capacity addition inAndhra Pradesh (in MW) 236

    Table 14.9 Salient features of the schemes proposed under the solar powerpurchase policy of JNNSM 248

    Table 14.10 Summary of RPOs at state level for select states 264

    Table 14.11 FiTs for wind energy and assumptions for FiTs across states 266

    Table 14.12 FiITs for solar power across states 267

    Table 14.13 FiTs for SHP and assumptions for FiTs across states 268

    Table 14.14 FiTs for biomass and bagasse and assumptions for FiTs across states 269

    Table 15.1 Accepted bid loss rejection trajectory; minimumbid loss rejection trajectory 276

    Table 15.2 Profits 280

    Table 15.3 QoS parameters 281

    Table 15.4 Peak and energy deficit 282

    Table 15.5 Loan to Transco 282

    Table 15.6 Expenses break-up of discoms 284

    Table 15.7 Capital expenditure by discoms 287

    Table 15.8 AT&C loss reduction by discoms 287

    Table 15.9 Sales and revenue mix 288

    Table 16.1 States exhibiting increases in losses from distribution business 292

    Table 16.2 States exhibiting profits or decrease in lossesfrom distribution losses 293

    List of Tables, Figures and Boxes | ix

  • Table 16.3 Most utilities have shown considerable reduction in AT&C lossesbetween 200506 and 200809 294

    Table 16.4 Agricultural consumption continues to remain unmeteredstatusin select states 296

    Table 16.5 Level of agricultural consumption in select states in 200809 297

    Table 16.6 Status of implementation of select distribution reform initiativesas of April 2010 298

    Table 16.7 Cost recovery in 200809 301

    Table 16.8 Status of tariff revision in states/union territoriesat the end of 2009 307

    Table 16.9 Increase in revenue gap without subsidy for utilitiesbetween 200506 and 200809 309

    Table 16.10 Consumer tariffs as percentage of Average Cost of Supply approvedby SERCs in FY 200809 311

    Table 16.11 Funding of revenue gap of utilities in Uttar Pradesh 315

    Table 16.12 Means of financing the revenue deficits of utilities (indicative) 318

    Table 16.13 Outstanding bank loans and government guaranteesin select states (Rs crore) 320

    Table 16.14 Interest expenses disallowed by ERCs primarily on accountof short-term loans taken by distribution utilities 323

    Table 16.15 Estimated financial losses of utilities in 201213 325

    Table 16.16 Tariff trends in UMPP bids 327

    Table 17.1 Projected deployment of funds in SPSA 340

    Table 17.2 List of projects selected under migration scheme of JNNSM 353

    Table 17.3 List of projects selected under JNNSM for bundling scheme 354

    Table 17.4 Allotment of solar capacities in Gujarat 356

    Table 19.1 International experience in spectrum trading 379

    Table 19.2 Example of spectrum trading with revenue share payments 384

    Table 19.3 Example of revenue neutral differential pricing between SSUs 386

    Table 19.4 Allocation of spectrum in other countries 388

    Table 19.5 Allocation of spectrum in Indian telecom circles 389

    Table 19.6 Public spectrum registryexample of contents 390

    x | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

  • Figures

    Figure 2.1 Institutional structure of the Indian power sector 14

    Figure 3.1 Restructuring of the Argentine electricity industry(federal assets) 24

    Figure 3.2 Estimate medium monomial contract price in the market 26

    Figure 3.3 Argentinas transmission system 27

    Figure 3.4 Evolution of capacity and energy prices 28

    Figure 3.5 Outages as a per cent of energy demand 29

    Figure 7.1 Growth of GDP versus POL consumption 75

    Figure 7.2 Aggregate supply/demand POL 200102 76

    Figure 7.3 Main consumers of natural gas 77

    Figure 7.4 LNG prices, US gas prices and crude oil prices 81

    Figure 7.5 Comparative transportation costs for road,rail and pipeline modes 84

    Figure 7.6 Influence of amortization for a 12 diameter pipeline 85

    Figure 7.7 OPEC supply/price dynamics 101

    Figure 10.1 PERT chart for coal mine development 149

    Figure 10.2 Flowchart of mining proposal approval process 158

    Figure 11.1 Cost of power supply, average tariff and gap 164

    Figure 11.2 Power sector: Structure pre- and post-reforms 169

    Figure 11.3 AT&C losses 173

    Figure 11.4 Collection efficiency 174

    Figure 11.5 Subsidy received 175

    Figure 11.6 ACS, ARR (without subsidy) and gap over the years 177

    Figure 12.1 Average cost and realization of power in 200001 182

    Figure 12.2 Restructuring of MSEB 185

    Figure 12.3 AT&C losses 194

    Figure 12.4 Collection efficiency 195

    Figure 12.5 Subsidy from state 195

    List of Tables, Figures and Boxes | xi

  • Figure 12.6 Average revenue realised (ARR), average cost of supply (ACS)

    and the gap between them over the years for Maharashtra 196

    Figure 12.7 Average revenue realised (ARR) without subsidy, average cost

    of supply (ACS) and the gap between them over the years

    for Maharashtra post-reforms 197

    Figure 12.8 SAIFI 197

    Figure 12.9 SAIDI 198

    Figure 12.10 CAIDI 198

    Figure 13.1 Average revenue realisation in Rs/kWh for

    various consumer categories 203

    Figure 13.2 Restructuring of GEB 205

    Figure 13.3 Improvement in cash collections over the years 210

    Figure 13.4 AT&C losses 213

    Figure 13.5 Subsidy received 214

    Figure 13.6 ARR, ACS and gap between them over the years 215

    Figure 14.1 Role of RE in Indias power generation capacity

    as on 31 March 2009 223

    Figure 14.2 Technology-wise grid-interactive RE capacity in India

    as on 31 October 2009 224

    Figure 14.3 Events influencing RE development and

    RE capacity addition 228

    Figure 14.4 Bundling mechanism for sale of solar

    power under JNNSM 247

    Figure 14.5 Time frame for completion of migration scheme

    under solar power purchase policy of JNNSM 247

    Figure 14.6 Time frame for completion of scheme for new

    projects under solar power purchase policy of JNNSM 247

    Figure 15.1 T&D losses and commercial losses pre-reforms 274

    Figure 15.2 AT&C losses 280

    Figure 15.3 ARR & ACS 281

    Figure 16.1 Losses without subsidy for distribution utilities

    have risen sharply in 200809 291

    xii | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

  • Figure 16.2 Cash losses before subsidy received for distribution

    utilities have trebled between 200506 and 200809 291

    Figure 16.3 All-India AT&C losses are below 30% 295

    Figure 16.4 Gap between ARR (without subsidy) and ACS at

    the all-India level has increased 300

    Figure 16.5 In recent years, tariff increase has not kept pace

    with increasing ACS 302

    Figure 16.6 Power purchase costs have increased 303

    Figure 16.7 Procurement of short term power is increasing 303

    Figure 16.8 Short-term power prices have shot up 304

    Figure 16.9 Peak and energy deficit in India 304

    Figure 16.10 Purchase of short-term power in select states (MU) 305

    Figure 16.11 Coal imports for power plants have doubled

    between 200506 and 200809 306

    Figure 16.12 Trends in price of imported coal 306

    Figure 16.13 Increase in employee costs for distribution utilities in India 307

    Figure 16.14 Subsidies booked by distribution utilities are rising

    but payment by state governments is inadequate 312

    Figure 16.15 Top 10 states exhibiting the maximum increase

    in subsidy booked 312

    Figure 16.16 States not paying full amount of subsidy to utilities 313

    Figure 16.17 Distribution losses in Punjab 316

    Figure 16.18 Distribution losses in Madhya Pradesh 316

    Figure 16.19 Employee costs of PSEB 317

    Figure 16.20 Debtors for sale/transmission of power for state-owned

    generation, trading and transmission companies 323

    Figure 16.21 Private sector will lead future capacity addition in India 326

    Figure 19.1 Variations in use of spectrum across circles and operators 378

    Figure 19.2 Example of standard spectrum unit 381

    List of Tables, Figures and Boxes | xiii

  • Boxes

    Box 1.1 Take-or-pay in Indonesia 4

    Box 1.2 Power sector reform in Argentina 9

    Box 3.1 Objectives of CAMMESA 25

    Box 3.2 Objectives of ENRE 25

    Box 4.1 Timeline of key events in power sector reforms in Orissa 38

    Box 6.1 Privatisation of generation assets of SEBs 56

    Box 6.2 Limitations of the mixed-zone structure 57

    Box 6.3 Disadvantages of the single-buyer model 62

    Box 7.1 New Exploration Licensing Policy 71

    Box 7.2 Definition of petroleum products 73

    Box 7.3 Impact of OCC on oil product prices 88

    Box 7.4 Contract carrier versus common carriage carrier 90

    Box 7.5 Main conversions used in the petroleum industry 102

    Box 8.1 Memorandum of Understanding with GOI 113

    Box 8.2 Noida Power Company (NPCL)

    a successful distribution company 120

    Box 8.3 KESCO privatization 121

    Box 11.1 APSEBs performance review 164

    Box 12.1 MSEBs performance review 183

    Box 12.2 White paper on Maharashtra power sector reforms 184

    Box 12.3 Load management 187

    Box 14.1 Salient features of JNNSM 246

    Box 14.2 Urjankur Nidhi Fund in Maharashtra 262

    Box 14.3 Detailed provisions of National Solar Mission 271

    Box 15.1 Computation and treatment of over/under

    achievement of target AT&C loss levels 275

    Box 17.1 Solar Power: International Experience 348

    Box 19.1 The spectrum is finally attached to the licence 374

    Box 19.2 Defining spectrum trading units in Australia 381

    Box 19.3 Ofcoms proposed process for transacting a spectrum trade 382

    xiv | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

  • FOREWORDInfrastructure Development Finance Company Limited (IDFC) was set up at the initiativeof the Government of India with the mandate to lead private capital to commercially viableinfrastructure projects in India. Over the fifteen years of our existence, we have witnessedthe share of private capital grow from an insignificant proportion to the current levels ofalmost 40 per cent of the total infrastructure investment. In the Twelfth Plan, the share ofthe private sector is expected to grow even further to 50 per cent of the investment. Allthrough this period, IDFC has been actively engaged with governments, independentregulators, private developers, banks, financial investors and other stakeholders in the processof advocating and developing appropriate policy, and legal and regulatory frameworks forthis purpose. We would, therefore, celebrate our fifteenth anniversary, later this year, with agreat deal of satisfaction, now that private investment has become an important mode ofinvestment across various infrastructure sectors.

    From the beginning, the role envisaged for IDFC was not limited merely to funding, but tolead private investment to this sector. In any case, there were very few private sector projects tofinance in 1997. Leading capital to projects required intense preparatory work and activeengagement with the government in policy formulation, in the preparation of legal andregulatory frameworks, and in the development of transparent procurement processes, objectiveevaluation criteria and equitable concession documents. IDFC, both through its policy advocacyand advisory services teams, provided inputs through a series of interventions. Some of theseinputs were through specific advisory services transactions, for instance, in major ports andnational highways. In power and telecom, inputs were often provided in response to theconsultative process initiated by the regulator or government but were also through notes andopinions conveyed on specific issues. We believe that IDFCs role was very useful and oftenpivotal in shaping opinion and in leading private investment to infrastructure.

    In fulfilment of its mandate to develop infrastructure, a large body of written material hasbeen prepared over the years. These include sector studies, policy recommendations forresolving some of the difficult issues, overviews of emerging trends, outlines of good practicesand issues in financing. Some of these find a place in the thematic India Infrastructure Reportthat is published every year. A few others have been published elsewhere, covered in IDFCsquarterly policy reviews, or released as occasional papers. Many have remained in privatedomain. This publication is an anthology of some of the papers prepared by IDFC over thelast fifteen years, and reflects its emerging views in the quest of nation building. It is arepresentative collection and not an exhaustive one.

    Last year we set up IDFC Foundation under Section 25 of the Companies Act 1956, as awholly owned subsidiary of IDFC. IDFCs development agenda is now being carried outthrough the IDFC Foundation. It is fitting that on the first anniversary of the Foundation,we are able to release this publication as a testament of IDFCs contribution to infrastructuredevelopment in India.

    RAJIV B. LALLMarch 2012 Managing Director and CEO

  • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSIt is always difficult to acknowledge all those who have contributed to a publication of thisnature, which includes papers and notes written over a fifteen-year period. All the papershave received inputs of different kinds from various sources. The inputs include views,opinions, critical feedback, discussions, encouragement and sometimes just the opportunityto share ideas. In that sense, it would be impossible to acknowledge all the contributors.

    At the outset, it would only be fitting to acknowledge the Government of India and thevarious state governments that have, over the years, used IDFC as a sounding board forpolicy and regulatory advice. Within the organisation, at a strategic level, we would first ofall acknowledge the encouragement and support of Deepak Parekh, Chairman, IDFC, RakeshMohan, who briefly served as Vice-Chairman, and its first two Managing Directors,D. J. Balaji Rao and Nasser Munjee. This support has been strongly continued by Rajiv B.Lall, the present Managing Director and CEO of IDFC, under whose stewardship the IDFCFoundation was set up. Acknowledgements are also due to Anil Baijal, Chairman, IDFCFoundation; Urjit R. Patel, who headed the policy group at IDFC for the first ten years; andRitu Anand, who oversees it at present. The inputs received from the various members ofIDFCs Policy Advisory Boards from time to time, have certainly helped to clarify perspectivesand shape policy opinions. For this, we thank each and every one of them.

    Where the papers already include the names of the authors, credits have been given at theend of the respective papers. Nevertheless, the following writers, too, need to be acknowledged:Rajiv B. Lall, Urjit R. Patel, Ritu Anand, Cherian Thomas, Partha Mukhopadhyay, SrikumarTadimala, Anupam Rastogi, Nirmal Mohanty, P. V. Ravi, Saugata Bhattacharya, PiyushTiwari, Sambit Basu, Shishir Mathur, Manisha Gulati, Kaushik Deb, Sunaina Kilachand,Aditi Jagtiani, Kunal Katara, Neeraj Sansanwal, Bhagyathej Reddy, Ashish Agarwal,Pritika Hingorani and Ranesh Nair. Their valuable contributions have gone into thecompilation of these volumes, which provide both historical and current perspectives andcould be useful points of reference in all our future efforts at nation building.

    Our thanks are due also to Orient BlackSwan, the publishers of this volume, who have beenconsistent in maintaining quality while accommodating the sometimes exacting demandsmade on them.

    Finally, we would like to thank all our colleagues at IDFC, past and present, whose consistentfeedback and varying perspectives on the various themes have been of immense value. Whilewe have taken care to include everyone who helped us in compiling this report, any omissionsare unintentional and we hope that they would be construed as such.

  • INTRODUCTIONEvolving Perspectives in the Development of Indian Infrastructure (in two volumes) is acompilation of several papers written by IDFC over the last fifteen years on the themes ofinfrastructure development and financing. It is not an exhaustive summary of all of IDFCswork in infrastructure policy and regulation during this period. Much of IDFCs policycontribution has been through inputs provided to the many task forces, working groupsand high-level committees constituted by central and state governments from time to time,in which IDFCs officials have been (or are being) represented. In many other instances,recommendations have been provided to governments and regulators as part of theconsultative process followed while seeking views of stakeholders in these sectors. Some ofIDFCs development work has also been through specific outputs in the form of reports anddocuments prepared as part of advisory service transactions for governments. Another visibleoutput that is published year after year is the India Infrastructure Reporta thematic reportthat discusses issues of contemporary concern across the infrastructure space. In some ways,this anthology captures some of IDFCs emerging views over this period, which may bereflected in its recommendations and inputs in the activities listed above.

    This publication consists of two volumes. The first volume has two sectionsenergy andtelecommunications. The second volume deals with transport, urban and other infrastructure,and infrastructure development and financing. It comprises 45 papers on a range of topicson various aspects of policy and financing. These cover the period from May 1998 toJanuary 2012. The papers are of varying lengths, depending on the specific context in whichthey were written and the need sought to be addressed. Some of the issues debated in theearlier papers and the recommendations may still be relevant in the current context, andthese volumes would have more than a historical significance. The power sector, notsurprisingly, has the most number of paperssince it is the biggest of the infrastructuresectorsand these papers are reflective of the various emerging issues in the sector. A section-wise summary of the two volumes is set out below.

    The initial papers in the power sector (written 19982001) set out the issues and challengesfor private investment in the sector. Drawing from international experiences in Argentinaand Indonesia, right from the outset, IDFC highlighted the need to focus on reforms and onrestructuring the sector with a view to increase efficiency and reduce losses. The suggestionsfor creating a more competitive market structure conducive to private sector participationunbundling the monolithic electricity boards and creating independent regulatory authorities,separating network business from supply, and establishing power trading as a separate licensedactivitywere forerunners to many subsequent changes, such as the introduction of openaccess. Equally noteworthy are the suggestions for private sector investment in powerdistribution, initially through franchising dense urban areas. The relative success of thefranchisee model (in Bhiwandi and other places) in improving distribution efficiencies andcollections reflect the merits of this suggestion. The separation of urban and non-urbanareas and the development of a transparent mechanism for payment of subsidies will continueto be issues that engage us as the reform process in the sector moves ahead.

  • Some of the papers review the reforms and progress of the sector in the states of Orissa(February 2000), Uttar Pradesh (February 2005), Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra andGujarat. The review includes an assessment of the gains made so far, as well as theshortcomings and the challenges ahead for each of these states. The most recent paper onthe power distribution sector clearly highlights the severity of the losses in power distribution,the looming risk of insolvency of these utilities, and the urgent need for good governance toenable future capacity addition and to restore the overall health of the financial system.The wide gamut of subjects covered include the regulation of petroleum product pipelines,the conditionalities in power sector lending, and the challenges in implementing the captivecoal mining policy. The section also includes a discussion paper on renewable energy and aspecific paper on solar energy.

    The telecom section is rather small since much of the policy input was provided by IDFC aspart of the consultative process in this sector with the government and the regulator. Theinitial paper on the sector (December 1998) set out some of the sectoral challenges, keepingin mind the new telecom policy that was to be announced. The second paper covered theprinciples for allocation of spectrum and also the issue of spectrum trading. The wisdom ofusing the market-based approach has been clearly vindicated by the subsequent events thathave overtaken the sector.

    The second volume begins with a section on issues related to the transport sector. Much ofthe work done by IDFC in the transport sector was as Secretariat to the Task Force onInfrastructure and through specific advisory assignments in major ports and nationalhighways sectors, in the initial years. The paper on ports sector reforms (December 1999)argued that there is little need for immediate additional public investment in the sector, butsuggested a focus on efficiency in port services by private providers subject to competitivepressures. It also recommended a push to reform port labour, the need for strengtheninghinterland connectivity, and that of putting in place a pro-competitive and stable regulatorysystem. All these represent a continuing agenda in the sector. A subsequent paper(November 2000) highlighted the need to integrate coastal shipping with the surfacetransport network. This is a challenge that has largely been ignored for several decadesand could assume increasing importance given the enormous environmental benefits andlower transport costs that could accrue from increased coastal movement of goods.A paper on railways sets out the opportunities for publicprivate partnerships in the sector,and includes the experience of the HassanMangalore railway project in Karnataka. Paperson the roads sector include a status note on the National Highway DevelopmentProgramme (NHDP), a review of the challenges of financing highways, and, the mostrecent one, on the challenges for NHAI in financing the NHDP.

    The first paper in the urban sector covers the water sector. The paper (March 2001)highlighted the need for independent regulation, rational tariff setting and the appropriaterole of the private sector. This is followed by a paper on special economic zones (SEZs)which argued that SEZs are more in the nature of band aid fixes and that the focus of thepolicy should move from augmenting infrastructure facilities for export production to anoverall focus on higher-quality infrastructure, growth and employment. A selection of papers

    xx | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

  • from IDFC policy quarterly research notes covers the issues of land pooling, bus rapid transitsystems, green buildings, sewage water recycling for industrial use, and municipal borrowingsusing pooled finance mechanisms. The base note prepared on urban financing (for the HighPowered Expert Committee) provides a comprehensive review of the financing for urbaninfrastructure. A paper on private healthcare in India (December 2002) broadly reviewedthe key challenges of the sector at that point and identified a few business models for healthcareinvestment in future.

    The last section of the second volume includes papers on various cross-cutting issues ininfrastructure development and financing. The earliest paper (May 1999) briefly reviewedthe challenges of reforming the debt market in India, some of which still remain.A detailed paper on competitive bidding (August 2000) argued that competitive biddingprovides the most efficient and cost effective method for procurement of infrastructureservicesa lesson that has become systematised practice over the last decade across sectors.Two papers deal with the issue of regulation. The January 2005 paper reviews regulationacross sectors and argues that regulation is one piece of the infrastructure puzzle and has tobe complemented with an industry structure that aligns operators incentives towards pursuitof value for money. The more recent paper on regulation looks further at the future ofregulation in India. Papers on financing comprise two independently written reviews:domestic financing and the role of IDFC, and infrastructure financing and the role of non-banking finance companies. Other papers include a short note on infrastructure developmentin India (prepared for the World Economic Forum), an analysis of the political economy ofinfrastructure development (which concludes that political logic would drive decisionmakersto deliver improved infrastructure with a greater reliance on private provision of theseservices), and a detailed comparison of infrastructure creation in China and in India. Thelast paper identifies some of the lessons that can be learnt from the Chinese experience, suchas using improved technology, pursuing financially sustainable solutions, and improvingefficiency and accountability in the government while pursuing solutions that are moreimplementable in our context.

    All in all, it is hoped that this publication would give the readers an insight into some of theevolving policy perspectives and recommendations that have emerged in the last fifteenyearsa period when infrastructure development has received more focussed attention than

    at any time since Independence.

    Introduction | xxi

  • LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

    A$ Australian Dollar

    ACA Australian Communications Authority

    ACCC Australian Competition Consumer Council

    ACS Average Cost of Supply

    ADB Asian Development Bank

    ADF Airport Development Fees

    ADRD Alberta Department of Resource Development

    AEC Ahmedabad Electricity Company

    AEE Autorita per l'Energia Elettrica e il Gas

    AERA Aviation Economic Regulatory Authority

    AGCOM The Communications Regulatory Authority

    AGR Adjusted Gross Revenue

    AIM Alternative Investment Market

    AIP Administrative Incentive Pricing

    AMC Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation

    AP Andhra Pradesh

    APDRP Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme

    APERC Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission

    APL Adaptable Programme Loan/Lending

    APM Administrative Price Mechanism

    APPSRP Andhra Pradesh Power Sector Restructuring Programme

    APSEB Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board

    ARR Annual Revenue Requirement

    ARR Average Revenue Realised

    ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations

    ASP Activated Sludge Process

    AT&C Aggregate Technical and Commercial

    ATE Appellate Tribunal for Electricity

    ATF Aviation Turbine Fuel

    AUDA Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority

    BBCD Bare-Boat-Charter-cum-Demise

  • bbl Barrels

    BCC Beneficiary Capital Contribution

    BCC Base Construction Cost

    bcm Billion Cubic Metres

    BCM Book Consolidation Module

    BEE Bureau of Energy Efficiency

    BEST Brihan Mumbai (Bombay) Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking

    BG Broad Gauge

    BIAL Bengaluru International Airport Limited

    BKCC B. K. Chaturvedi Committee

    BLD Billion Litres per Day

    BLT Build, Lease, Transfer

    BOD Biological Oxygen Demand

    BOLT Build, Operate, Lease, Transfer

    BOO Build, Own, Operate

    BOOM Build, Own, Operate, Maintain

    BOOST Build, Own, Operate, Share, Transfer

    BOOT Build, Own, Operate, Transfer

    BOQ Bill of Quantities

    BOT Build Operate Transfer

    BP British Petroleum

    BPCL Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited

    BRPL Bongaigaon Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited

    BRTS Bus Rapid Transit System

    BS basic service

    BSES Bombay Suburban Electric Supply

    BSF Bond Service Fund

    BSNL Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited

    BTS Bangkok Mass Transit System

    BUA Built-up Area

    BWSSB Bangalore Water Supply and Sanitation Board

    BYPL BSES Yamuna Power Limited

    xxiv | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

  • CA Constitutional Amendment

    CAA Constitutional Amendment Act

    CAA Civil Aviation Authority

    CAA Cost under the Annuity Approach

    CAGR Compound Annual Growth Rate

    CAIDI Consumer Average Interruption Duration Index

    CAM Common Area Maintenance

    CAMMESA Compaa Administradora del Mercado Mayorista Elctrico

    CAT Consumer Analysis Tool

    CBDT Central Board of Direct Taxes

    CCA Cost under the Conventional Approach

    CCI Competition Commission of India

    CDB China Development Bank

    CDMA Code Division Multiple Access

    CDs Certificates of Deposits

    CEA Central Electricity Authority

    CEPZ Cochin Export Processing Zone

    CERC Central Electricity Regulatory Commission

    CESC Calcutta Electric Supply Company

    CESCO Central Electricity Supply Company

    CFC Consumer Facilitation Centres

    CFS Centre for Sight

    CGD City Gas Distribution

    CGHS Central Government Health Scheme

    CGWB Central Ground Water Board

    CIL Coal India Limited

    CLF Credit Local de France

    CMIE Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy

    CMS Cellular Mobile Service

    CMT Comisin del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones

    CMTS Cellular Mobile Telephony Service

    CMW Chennai Metro Water

    List of Abbreviations | xxv

  • CNE Comisin Nacional de Energa

    COAI Cellular Operators Association of India

    CONCOR Container Corporation of India

    CONEA Coalition of North East Association

    CP Commercial Paper

    CPCB Central Pollution Control Board

    CPPs Captive Power Plants

    CPSU Central Public Sector Unit

    CPT Chennai Port

    CPUC California Public Utilities Commission

    CREF Credit Rating Enhancement Fund

    CRG Crisis Resolution Group

    CSE Centre for Science and Environment

    CST Concentrated Solar Thermal

    CSUs Central Sector Undertakings

    CTC Competitive Transition Charge

    DALY Disability Adjusted Life Years

    DBFO Design Build Finance Operate

    DELs Direct Exchange Lines

    DEPB Duty Entitlement Pass Book

    DERC Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission

    DESU Delhi Electric Supply Undertaking

    DF Distribution Franchisee

    DFID Department for International Development

    DFIs Development Finance Institutions

    DFRC Duty Free Replenishment Certificate

    DGH Directorate General of Hydrocarbons

    DIAL Delhi International Airport Limited

    DIMTS Delhi Integrated Multimodal Transit System

    discom/distco Distribution Company

    DJB Delhi Jal Board

    DM De-mineralisation

    xxvi | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

  • DMRC Delhi Metro Rail Corporation

    DoT Department of Telecommunications

    DSCR Debt-Service Coverage Ratio

    DSM Demand-Side Management

    DSR Debt Service Requirement

    DT/DTR Distribution Transformer

    DTA Domestic Tariff Area

    DVA Distribution Value Added

    DVB Delhi Vidyut Board

    DVP Delivery versus Payment

    DWT Decentralised Wastewater Treatment

    EA 03 Electricity Act 2003

    EA Energy Audit

    EC European Commission

    ECB External Commercial Borrowings

    ECBC Energy Conservation Building Code

    EDENOR Empresa Distribuidora y Comercializadora Norte S.A.

    EDZ Economic Development Zone

    EIRP Equivalent Isotropically Radiated Power

    ENARGAS Ente Nacional Regulador del Gas

    ENRE Ente Nacional Regulador de la Electricidad

    EoD Event of Default

    EOU Export Oriented Unit

    EPC Engineering, Procurement and Construction

    EPZ: Export Promotion Zone

    ERC Electricity Regulatory Commission

    ESC Essential Services Commission

    ESIS Employees State Insurance Scheme

    ETDMA Extended Time Division Multiple Access

    ETOSS Ente Tripartito de Obras y Servicios Sanitarios

    EU European Union

    EUA Electricity Utilities Act

    List of Abbreviations | xxvii

  • EUB Energy and Utilities Board

    EWS Economically Weaker Section

    FAA Federal Aviation Administration

    FAR Floor Area Ratio

    FCA Fuel Cost Adjustment

    FCC Federal Communications Commission

    FDI Foreign Direct Investment

    FERC Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

    FIE Foreign Invested Enterprises

    FIPB Foreign Investment Promotion Board

    FIs Financial Institutions

    FiT Feed-in Tariff

    FM Frequency Modulation

    FO Furnace Oil

    FOB Free-on-Board

    FOR Forum of Regulators

    FP Future Plot

    FPPPA Fuel and Power Purchase Price Adjustment

    FRP Financial Restructuring Plan

    FSA Fuel Supply Agreement

    FSA Financial Services Authority

    FSI Floor Space Index

    FTCs Foreign Trade Companies

    FY Fiscal Year

    GACL Gujarat Ambuja Cements Limited

    GAIL Gas Authority of India Limited

    GARR Guaranteed Average Revenue Realisation

    GBI Generation-based Incentives

    GBWASP Greater Bangalore Water Supply and Sanitation Project

    GDP Gross domestic product

    GIC General Insurance Corporation of India

    GNCL Gujarat NRE Coke Limited

    xxviii | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

  • GNCTD Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi

    GNIDA Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority

    GOG Government of Gujarat

    GOI Government of India

    GOK Government of Karnataka

    GOM Government of Maharashtra

    GQ Golden Quadrilateral

    GRIDCO Grid Corporation of Orissa

    GRIHA Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment

    GSDP Gross State Domestic Product

    G-Secs Government of India Securities

    GSM Global System for Mobile Communications(formerly, Groupe Spcial Mobile)

    GSPC/GSPCL Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (Limited)

    GSPL Gujarat State Petronet Limited

    GTPUDA Gujarat Town Planning and Urban Development Act

    GU Geographic Unit

    GUVNL Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited

    GWCL Ghana Water Company Limited

    ha Hectare

    HBEPL Hanzer Biotech Energies Private Limited

    HBJ Pipeline Hazira-Bijaipur-Jagdishpur Pipeline

    HCBS High Capacity Bus System

    HCCL Hindustan Construction Company Limited

    HERC Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission

    HFCL Himachal Futuristic Communications Limited

    HIDRONOR Hidroelctrica Norpatagnica Sociedad Annima

    HMRDCL Hassan Mangalore Rail Development Company Limited

    HNIs High Net-Worth Investors

    HP Himachal Pradesh

    HPCL Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited

    HR Human Resources

    List of Abbreviations | xxix

  • HSD High Speed Diesel

    HUDCO Housing and Urban Development Corporation

    HVDS High Voltage Distribution System

    IAAI International Airports Authority of India

    IARR Implied Average Revenue Realisation

    IAT Independent Assessment Team

    ICICI Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India

    ICRA (formerly) Investment Information and Credit RatingAgency of India Limited

    ICTSL Indore City Transport Services Limited

    IDBI Industrial Development Bank of India

    iDeCK Infrastructure Development Corporation (Karnataka)

    IDFC Infrastructure Development Finance Company Limited

    IFCI Industrial Finance Corporation of India

    IGBC Indian Green Building Council

    IGIA Indira Gandhi International Airport

    IGL Indraprastha Gas Limited

    IIBI Industrial Investment Bank of India

    IIFCL India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited

    IL&FS Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services

    IOC IndianOil Corporation

    IPGCL Indraprastha Power Generation Company Limited

    IPPs Independent Power Producers/Projects

    IR/IRC Indian Railways (Corporation)

    IRA Independent Regulatory Agency

    IRBI Industrial Reconstruction Bank of India

    IRDA Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority

    IRR Internal Rate of Return

    IRRA Indian Rail Regulatory Authority

    IT Information technology

    ITU International Telecommunications Union

    IUP Intended Use Plans

    xxx | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

  • I-WIN ICICI-West Bengal Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited

    JCC Japanese Cocktail Crude

    JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency

    JNNSM Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission

    JNNURM Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission

    JNPT Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust

    JV Joint Venture

    KERC Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission

    KESCO Kanpur Electricity Supply Company

    K-G Basin Krishna-Godavari Basin

    KINFRA Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation

    K-RIDE Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation

    KUIDFC Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development andFinance Corporation

    KUWASIP Karnataka Urban Water Supply Improvement Project

    KUWSBD Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board

    KWSPF Karnataka Water and Sanitation Pooled Fund

    LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

    LIC Life Insurance Corporation of India

    LNG Liquefied Natural Gas

    LoI Letter of Intent

    LPCD Litres per Capita per Day

    LPR Land Pooling and Readjustment/Reconstitution

    LPVR Least Present Value of Revenues

    LSHS Low Sulphur Heavy Stock

    M&A Mergers and Acquisitions

    MADP Maximum Alternative Distribution Payment

    MAGP Maximum Alternative Generation Payment

    MASTS Mobile Assignment Technical System

    MATS Monitoring and Tracking System

    MBR Membrane Bio Reactor

    mBtu/mmBtu Million British thermal units

    List of Abbreviations | xxxi

  • MCA Model Concession Agreement

    MCB Miniature Circuit Breaker

    mcm Million Cubic Metres

    MCs Municipal Corporations

    MDF Municipal Development Fund

    MEPZ Madras Export Processing Zone

    MERC Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission

    MFL Madras Fertilizers Limited

    MG Metre Gauge

    MMC Madurai Municipal Corporation

    MMDR Act Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act

    MMRDA Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority

    mmscmd Metric Million Standard Cubic Meters per Day

    Mmt Million Metric Tonnes

    Mmtpa Million Metric Tonnes per Annum

    MNRE Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

    MoCA Ministry of Civil Aviation

    MoD Ministry of Defence

    MoP Ministry of Power

    MoPNG Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

    MoR Ministry of Railways

    MoRTH Ministry of Road Transport and Highways

    MoST Ministry of Surface Transport

    MoU Memorandum of Understanding

    MoUD Ministry of Urban Development

    MP Madhya Pradesh

    MPE Mumbai-Pune Expressway

    MPSC Model Production Sharing Contract

    MRTS Mass Rapid Transit System

    MS Motor Spirit

    MSB Minimum Subsidy Bidding

    MSEB Maharashtra State Electricity Board

    xxxii | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

  • MSEDCL Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited

    MSRDC Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation

    MT Million Tons

    mt Metric Tonnes

    MTNL Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited

    MYT Multi-year Tariff

    NABARD National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development

    NBFCs Non-Bank Financial Companies

    NBFI Non-Bank Financial Institution

    NCR National Capital Region

    NDPL North Delhi Power Limited

    NDRC National Development and Reform Commission

    NELP New Exploration Licensing Policy

    NEN National Expressway Network

    NEPZ Noida Export Processing Zone

    NESCO Northern Electricity Supply Company

    NFAP National Frequency Allocation Plan

    NHAI National Highways Authority of India

    NHDP National Highway Development Project

    NHPC National Hydroelectric Power Corporation

    NLD National Long Distance

    NMMC Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation

    NMP National Mineral Policy

    NMPT New Mangalore Port Trust

    NPAs Non-performing Assets

    NPCL Noida Power Company Limited

    NPV Net Present Value

    NSDL National Securities Depository Limited

    NSE National Stock Exchange

    NS-EW North South-East West

    NTHS National Trunk Highway System

    NTPC National Thermal Power Corporation

    List of Abbreviations | xxxiii

  • NUIF National Urban Infrastructure Fund

    NUTP National Urban Transport Policy

    NWP National Water Policy

    NWRC National Water Resources Council

    NYSPSC New York State Public Service Commission

    NZ$ New Zealand dollar

    O&M Operation and Maintenance

    OA Open Access

    OCC Oil Coordination Committee

    OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

    OECF Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund

    OERC Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission

    OFAPs Operational and Financial Action Plans

    OFCOM Office of Communications

    OFGEM Office of Gas Electricity Markets

    OFWAT Office of Water Services

    OHPC Orissa Hydro Power Corporation

    OIL Oil India Limited

    OMT Operate, Maintain, Transfer

    ONGC Oil and Natural Gas Corporation of India

    OP Original Plot

    OPEC Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

    OPGC Orissa Power Generation Corporation

    ORR Office of the Rail Regulator

    OSEB Orissa State Electricity Board

    OSN Obras Sanitarias de la Nacin

    OUR Office of Utilities Regulation

    P&O Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company

    PBOC Peoples Bank of China

    PBR Private Business Radio

    PCS Personal Communications Services

    PDCOR Project Development Company of Rajasthan

    xxxiv | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

  • PE Private Equity

    PFC Power Finance Corporation

    PFDF Pooled Finance Development Fund

    PFDS Pooled Finance Development Fund Scheme

    PFI Private Finance Initiative

    PfP Payment for Performance

    PFs Provident Funds

    PGCIL Power Grid Corporation of India Limited

    PIDB Punjab Infrastructure Development Board

    PIL Petronet India Limited

    PIL Public Interest Litigation

    PLF Plant Load Factor

    PMCs Project Management Consultants

    PMT Panna Mukta Tapti

    PNGRB Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board

    POL Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants

    PPA Power Purchase Agreement

    PPCL Pragati Power Corporation Limited

    PPFCA Power Purchase Fuel Cost Adjustment

    PPIAF Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility

    PPP Public-Private Partnership

    PSA Port of Singapore Authority

    PSA Power Sale Agreement

    PSC Production Sharing Contract

    PSC Public Sector Comparator

    PSEB Punjab State Electricity Board

    PSP Private Sector Participation

    PSU Public Sector Undertaking

    PTC Power Trading Company

    PTIM Pre-tax Investment Multiple

    PwC PricewaterhouseCoopers

    PWLB Public Works Loan Board

    List of Abbreviations | xxxv

  • QoS Quality of Service Parameters

    QoSS Quality of Supply and Service

    R&D Research and Development

    RAPDRP Restructured-Accelerated Power Development andReforms Programme

    RCF Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited

    RE Renewable Energy

    REBs Regional Electricity Boards

    REC Renewable Energy Certificate

    RERC Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission

    RET Renewable Energy Technology

    RFP Request for Proposal

    RFQ Request for Quotation

    RFQ Request for Qualification

    RLDCs Regional Load Dispatch Centres

    RMC Rajkot Municipal Corporation

    RoC Regulation by Contract

    ROE Return on Equity

    ROR Rate of Return

    ROT Rehabilitate, Operate, Transfer

    ROW Right of Way

    RPOs Renewable Purchase Obligations

    SAA Simultaneous Ascending Auction

    SAIDI System Average Interruption Duration Index

    SAIFI System Average Interruption Frequency Index

    SBR Sequential Batch Reactor

    SCADA Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System

    SCI Shipping Corporation of India

    SCM Subsidies and Countervailing Measures

    SEBI Securities and Exchange Board of India

    SEBs State Electricity Boards

    SEDs State Electricity Departments

    xxxvi | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

  • SEEG Socit d'Exploitation des Eaux de Guine

    SEEPZ Santa Cruz Electronic Export Processing Zone

    SEGBA Servicios Elctricos del Gran Buenos Aires

    SERC State Electricity Regulatory Commission

    SEZ Special Economic Zone

    SFC State Finance Commission

    SFCD State Finance Commission Devolution

    SGAs Specialised Government Agencies

    SGI Solicitor General of India

    SHP Small Hydro Power

    SKO Superior Kerosene Oil

    SLAUs Special Land Acquisition Units

    SOE State-owned Enterprise

    SONEG Socit National des Eaux de Guine

    SOUTHCO Southern Electricity Supply Company

    SPD Solar Power Developer

    SPFE State Pooled Finance Entity

    SPV Special Purpose Vehicle/Company

    SPV Solar Photovoltaic

    SSI Small Scale Industry

    SSUs Standard Spectrum Units

    STD Subscriber Trunk Dialing

    STP Sewage Treatment Plant

    STU Standard Trading Unit

    STW Sewage Treated Water

    SWM Solid Waste Management

    T&D Transmission and Distribution

    TA Technical Assistance

    TACID Tamil Nadu Corporation for Industrial Infrastructure Development

    TAMP Tariff Authority for Major Ports

    TAT Tourism Authority of Thailand

    TBA To Be Announced

    List of Abbreviations | xxxvii

  • tcf Trillion Cubic Feet

    tcm Thousand Cubic Metres

    TDRs Transfer of Development Rights

    TDSAT Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal

    TD-SCDMA Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access

    TEA Tirupur Exporters Association

    TERI The Energy and Resources Institute

    TEU Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit

    TFC Thirteenth Finance Commission

    TIMS Transformer Information Management System

    TN Tamil Nadu

    TNEB Tamil Nadu Electricity Board

    TNERC Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission

    TNUDF Tamil Nadu Urban Development Fund

    TNUIFSL Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Ltd

    TNWSPF Tamil Nadu Water and Sanitation Pooled Fund

    TOU Time of Use

    TPAs Third Party Administrators

    TPC Total Project Cost

    TPO Town Planning Officer

    TRAI Telecom Regulatory Authority of India

    Transco Transmission Company

    TSS Total Suspended Solids

    TTRO Tertiary Treatment and Reverse Osmosis Plant

    TVEs Township and Village Enterprises

    UASL Unified Access Services License

    UDF User Development Fee

    UI Unscheduled Interchange

    ULBs Urban Local Bodies

    UMPPs Ultra Mega Power Projects

    UMTS Universal Mobile Telecom Service

    UPERC Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission

    xxxviii | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

  • UPPCL Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd

    UPRVUNL Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited

    UPSEB Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board

    US$ United States Dollar

    USAID United States Agency for International Development

    USF Universal Service Fund

    USFA Universal Service Fund Administrator

    VAT Value Added Tax

    VfM Value for Money

    VGF Viability Gap Funding

    VPT Village Public Telephone

    VSNL Videsh Sanchaar Nigam Limited

    WB West Bengal

    WBSEDCL West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited

    WESCO Western Electricity Supply Company

    WLL Wireless Local Loop

    WPC Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing

    WPI Wholesale Price Index

    WS&S Water Storage and Supply

    WSA Water Service Agency

    WSP Waste Stabilisation Pond

    WSPF Water and Sanitation Pooled Fund

    WSS Water Supply and Sewerage

    WTO World Trade Organization

    WUA Water Users Association

    WWD Water Works Department

    List of Abbreviations | xxxix

  • 1. INTRODUCTIONThe investment needed in the power sector in the next five years is estimated tobe in excess of Rs 200,000 crore (US$50 billion), largely in new generating plants.Over a longer term, 75,000 MW of new generating capacity is being contemplatedin the form of mega power plants. Since each MW of generating capacity installedby an independent power producer requires an estimated commitment of aboutRs 1.5 crore per annum (6000 MWhrs, at Rs 2.5 per kWh), the payment liabilityfor this generating capacity would amount to Rs 112,500 crore (US$28 billion)per year. Considering that the total revenue of all electricity boards in the countryis only around Rs 40,000 crore per annum, the additional liabilities areunmanageable under the current regime of revenue mobilisation.

    The government has provided many incentives to independent power producers(IPPs). These include a guaranteed rate of return of 16 per cent, counter guaranteesfrom the central and state governments, escrow accounts for assured payments, etc.As a result, over 250 MoUs have been signed. However, the success rate from MoUto financial closure has been low. Only a few projects have been implemented in thepast seven years. The primary hurdle in implementation is now recognised as thepoor financial health of the electricity boards, who are currently the sole purchasersof electricity from the IPPs. In turn, this is attributable to the poor state ofdistribution, characterised by low quality of service, rampant theft, high subsidiesand poor revenue recovery.

    Therefore, in order to make these planned MWs a reality, a substantially increasedrevenue generation from the distribution system assumes the highest priority.Additional megawatts can only be generated if more megawatt hours are delivered

    POWER SECTOR REFORM:Policy Decisions inDistributionMay 1998

    1

  • 4 | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

    and paid for, that is, either the number of paying consumers has to increase or theconsumption of the currently paying consumers must rise. An efficient revenuegenerating system would also obviate the need for sovereign guarantees, escrowaccounts and take-or-pay contracts, and permit the development of the sector oncommercial lines. The consequences of ignoring additional revenue generation canlead eventually to major national problems, similar to that being currentlyexperienced in Indonesia (see Box 1.1).

    Box 1.1: Take-or-pay in Indonesia

    In a situation very similar to that of India, the paucity of investible funds led Indonesiato invite the private sector to construct power plants. With optimistic growth forecasts,the National Power Corporation, PLN, set itself ambitious targets and signed 26 take-or-pay power purchase agreements with private IPPs. In most contracts, the price,which was linked to the US dollar, ranged from 5.7 to 8.5 US cents per kWh. Therecent Southeast Asian currency crisis saw the Indonesian rupiah depreciate by over70 per cent and the GDP growth rate turn negative. The growth in electricity demandslumped to zero and the dollar equivalent of the tariff fell sharply. At the prevailingexchange rate, PLNs tariff rates are less than 2.0 US cents per kWh. Its liability for thenext 15 years is estimated at US$43 billion, which it has no means to honour. PLNs

    take-or-pay contracts are now a major national problem.

    2. CHARACTERISTICS OF SEBs

    State Electricity Boards (SEBs) in India are beset with numerous problems. They arecharacterised by huge financial losses, high transmission and distribution lossescomprising technical and non-technical components, unsatisfactory quality andlow reliability of supply, undelivered and misdelivered bills, poor collection andunresponsiveness to consumers requirements.

    Financial losses: The annual commercial losses of the electricity boards in thecountry have increased from Rs 1565 crore in 198586 to nearlyRs 10,000 crore in 199697 (Planning Commission 1997). The average revenuecollection per unit sold is 158 paise, against the average cost of208 paise. A desirable scenario where the electricity boards can undertake asustainable expansion programme would require surplus generation of aboutRs 10,000 crore,1 which in effect means that the current shortfall in revenue is closeto Rs 20,000 crore per year.

    Transmission and distribution losses: The transmission and distribution lossesfor the country were reported to be 21.2 per cent in 199495. However, it is widelybelieved, and substantiated by spot surveys, that the level of losses is considerablyhigherin the range of 40 to 50 per centin many electricity boards, with a large

  • Power Sector Reform | 5

    degree of regional variations. It is alleged that lower losses are shown by falselyattributing higher energy consumption to unmetered consumers. In fact, the so-called losses are more likely to be due to uncalibrated and unsatisfactory meters,theft of energy by unauthorised connections, tampering of meters, and collusionbetween consumers and board staff to reduce the billing.

    Poor quality of service: The quality of service in electricity supply can be measuredby the frequency, voltage and continuity of supply. On all these scores, the Indiandistribution system rates extremely low. Frequency variations of 2 per cent arequite common on Indian grids, whereas internationally even a 0.2 per centvariation is considered unacceptable. Voltage variations here regularly exceed 10per cent, whereas international norms prescribe 5 per cent as the maximumpermissible range. Consequently, agricultural and industrial electrical equipmentand domestic electrical appliances suffer from frequent breakdowns. Continuityof service, that is, receiving uninterrupted power supply, is quite rare in India.Restoration of service after an unplanned or forced interruption is generally greatlydelayed. The consumer response to the situation is the proliferation of gensets,involving significant investment in a relatively inefficient mode of powergeneration using scarce liquid fuels.

    3. REASONS FOR THE PRESENT STATE OF SEBsThe factors that have contributed to the present state of electricity boards can bebroadly classified under two headsmanagement failure and inappropriate policieson the part of state governments. The potential for corruption in this highly capital-intensive sector has only added to its woe.

    Lack of management attention: The management of distribution facilities are notup to desired standards in terms of investment, manpower allocation andtechnological innovation. The share of transmission and distribution in the planoutlays has been only 26 to 28 per cent since the second five-year plan, against adesirable level of about 40 to 50 per cent. Generation projects requiring largeinvestments, higher technological content, well-defined objectives and greaterpotential for job satisfaction and rewards have traditionally attracted more resources.

    Inappropriate emphasis: In distribution, the emphasis has been on extensivedevelopment rather than intensive development. Since targets focus on quantityrather than quality, the tendency has been to spread a low-cost and low-standarddistribution network to as many households, villages and agricultural pump sets aspossible, within the constraints of the budget. After construction, relatively littleattention is devoted to preventive maintenance, as most distribution staff are engagedin new constructions.

  • 6 | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

    Metering, billing and collection practices: The present collection system causeslarge revenue losses. It is characterised by lack of proper customer informationand reliance on antiquated billing and accounting systems that do not providetimely information. Existing labour policies provide no incentive for staff toproduce results. Added to this is the persistent inability to take disciplinary actionagainst defaulting consumers, many of whom are state and local governmentorganisations or influential industrial and commercial consumers. This has led toestimated revenue arrears, receivable by electricity boards, of over Rs 13,000 crorein 199596 amounting to 37.5 per cent of the total annual revenues (PlanningCommission 1997).

    Government subsidy policies: The governments policy of supplying electricityto favoured consumers at lower costs is estimated to have resulted in a revenueloss of Rs 19,228 crore in 199697 (Planning Commission 1997). State governmentsare required to compensate the electricity boards for such losses. To the extentthat this is done, it has a debilitating effect on state finances. Often though, thestate government does not make the necessary budgetary transfers, resulting inpaucity of funds for operation, maintenance and capital work. Apart from therevenue loss, a worse long-term consequence of this policy is the loss of incentivefor electricity boards to meter such consumers, affecting the very basis of therevenue generation infrastructure.

    Cross-subsidisation: Electricity boards try to recover a part of the above revenueloss by charging higher tariffs to other sectors, such as industrial and commercialconsumers. However, over-reliance on this mechanism results in unduly hightariffs, which affects industrial competitiveness and also drives industries to setup their own generation, through captive power plants.

    4. SOLUTIONSTo reiterate, in order to add additional megawatts to the sector, it is imperativethat additional revenue be generated from the distribution system. Currently, theSEBs, who run the system, are characterised by massive financial losses, largetransmission and distribution losses and poor quality of supply. They are not in aposition to increase the resources mobilised from electricity consumers. In orderto accomplish this task, it is thus necessary to remedy the fundamental causes ofSEB failure, that is, ineffective management and inappropriate policies, as describedabove. The recommendations that follow seek to do just that.

    Separate the distribution system: The distribution system must be separated fromthe generation and transmission systems, and formed into commercial companies.This separation is essential to insulate the revenue-generating portion of the power

  • Power Sector Reform | 7

    sector from external pressure. It would also lead to more attention being paid todistribution issues, through a focused management.2

    Privatise the management: The only way to incentivise the separated distributionsystem to mobilise additional resources is to ensure that it bears responsibility forits losses. The most credible manner of enforcing such a hard budget constraint isto privatise the management. This can be done in a variety of ways, such asmanagement contracts, leases, joint ventures and outright disinvestment. Themethod is not as important as the principles on which such management control istransferred. The two crucial aspects are:

    Transfer, whether by management contract or lease or any other method, mustbe for a long period (for example, 30 years), enough to make new investmentremunerative.

    The private management must have complete autonomy in all commercialdecisions, subject to oversight due to the continuing monopoly status.

    Create an independent regulatory authority: Once management is transferred toprivate hands, there is a strong need for independent state-level regulatorycommissions to monitor the private managements decisions in matters of tariff,investments, etc. They should be empowered to approve tariffs that will permit thelicensees to earn a reasonable return on their investment, if they are operatingefficiently. In addition, the commissions will provide a useful and necessary forumto resolve disputes between the government and the new private managers.

    Strategies to attract private investment: In the current environment, it may not beeasy to induce private firms to take over the management of distribution companies,due to several perceived hurdles. These include the presence of mandated customersin distribution zones; a relatively low rate of return; absence of long-term incentives;unreliable power supply from the electricity boards; difficulty in carrying out assetvaluation; and continued interference from the government and electricity boardbureaucracies, leading to difficulty in dealing with the existing staff. In order toaccelerate the process of improvement in distribution management and revenuemobilisation through private sector participation, these problems need to beaddressed quickly. One way of doing so is outlined below.

    Offer urban franchise areas: The object of privatising the management of distributionis to generate efficiency gains leading to additional resource mobilisation. The franchiseareas should be chosen to maximise these efficiency gains. For this, the area must havetwo properties. It must have a customer base of sufficient size, with the capability topay, and it must have physical infrastructure in reasonable condition. It is, therefore,recommended that private investors should initially be offered dense urban areas,and other areas that satisfy the above properties, like industrial estates, for distribution.3

  • 8 | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

    Since urban demand is over 50 per cent of the total demand in the country, the ultimatescope of the proposed strategy will be large. In these areas, licensees would not beburdened with social obligations, nor would there be subsidisation of any consumersin the licence area. In view of the highly successful operation of licensees in urbancentres, like Ahmedabad, Surat, Mumbai and Kolkata, it would be much easier toattract private investment in such centres. In order to provide sufficient incentive forlicensees to meet inevitable urban expansion, a process must be simultaneously put inplace for transferring contiguous urban agglomerations and other new concentrationsof consumers to private management.

    Give full management autonomy: Since the thrust of this strategy is to increaseresource mobilisation by reaping efficiency gains, it is essential that managementshave complete autonomy over commercial decisions, including those relating toemployment. Without such autonomy, managements cannot be held fullyresponsible, and this would dilute the incentives for efficient operation. Since theurban areas employ only a fraction of the total labour force of the SEBs, the problemsof staff transfer need not form a bottleneck, and if required, the electricity boardshould retain the staff in the interim.

    Provide a reasonable rate of return: The permissible rate of return to privateinvestors in distribution as per the Indian Electricity Act is set at RBI Bank Rate plus5 per cent, which currently works out to 14 per cent. This is lower than the 16 percent permitted to IPPs at 68.5 per cent Plant Load Factor (PLF). With an incentivebonus of 0.7 per cent for each per cent increase in PLF, IPPs can expect to earnreturns of 22 to 23 per cent. Operation and maintenance of distribution facilities inIndia involve greater effort and greater degree of risk than what is involved in settingup generating plants. This skews the investment incentives towards generation. Thereis, therefore, a need to free the private investors in distribution from the provisionsof the Electricity Act and permit the state regulatory commissions to determinetariffs to recover higher rates of return when warranted. Eventually, this could leadto a system where prices are regulated, instead of rates of return, and bulk consumerscan strike customised deals with distributors and generators.

    Enable wheeling: In order for the distribution licensees to supply quality power,they need to be free from the vagaries of supply from unreliable generators. Thesimplest way would be to allow the distribution licensees access to efficient andreliable generators through wheeling, that is, by permitting the transport of powerfrom a generating station in one area to a consuming centre in another area usingthe transmission network of the grid operator (SEB/Transmission Company/PowerGrid Corporation). Permitting wheeling will also enable cost-effective captivegeneration plants to sell their surplus power to other consumers and expand theircapacities to serve consumers in contiguous areas. This will add experienced

  • Power Sector Reform | 9

    producers to the pool of power generators.4 In the short term, however, lack oftransmission capacity may prevent this from happening. This should not be areason to hold back on the urban distribution strategy.

    Power trading corporation: A power trading corporation like the MEM in Argentina(see box below), which is a virtual spot market for power, could facilitate the processof wheeling considerably. By enabling efficient generators to supply electricity tocreditworthy distributors at competitive rates, by enforcing commercial disciplineon the distribution licensees and by excluding them from the market for non-payment, it creates a powerful force to generate additional revenues, thus bringingin extra megawatts.

    It is understood that there is a proposal to create Power Trading Companies(PTCs)5 for handling power wheeling. Furthermore, these are to act as long-termbuyers of power and to sell it to existing HT consumers. However, unlike theexample above, this is similar to escrowing the HT consumers for the IPPs thatsell power to the PTC. This approach does not increase the total resourcemobilisation from the distribution system, since the identified HT consumers arealready paying customers. As such, it does not generate additional revenue fromthe distribution system, which is imperative in order to add additional megawatts.

    Box 1.2: Power sector reform in Argentina

    In the late 1980s, the Government of Argentina (GOA) reformed its power sectorto achieve efficient pricing and sufficient investment levels. The reform processcomprised unbundling, privatisation and regulation. The reform strategy simulatedcompetition in natural monopoly segments, such as distribution and transmission,through regulation, award of concessions and the creation of a wholesale marketfor electricity.

    In distribution, the federal government broke up the Buenos Aires distribution area,which accounts for almost 60 per cent of Argentinas electricity consumption, andawarded three exclusive concessions. To facilitate competition, a spot wholesale marketfor electricity, called the MEM, was created. Large consumers as well as distributionentities are free to negotiate power contracts directly with generators or fulfil theirneeds through the MEM. A National Regulatory Entity for Electricity (ENRE) was setup to ensure fair access to transmission and distribution networks and oversee all facetsof the sector, including service quality. ENRE also sets maximum tariffs for transmissionand distribution services under a price cap system (RPI-X), with the cap reset everyfive to eight years.

    Since the advent of the reform process in 1992, EDESUR, one of the major suppliersto the Buenos Aires area, has decreased its energy losses from 21 per cent to 12 per centand reduced its outages from 39 to 6 hours per year. During the same period, the spot

  • 10 | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

    price of electricity on the MEM has decreased from 4.2 to 2.2 US cents per kWh, andthermal availability has increased from 48 per cent to 70 per cent. In transmission,forced outages have declined from 1000 to 300 hours.

    The privatised distribution companies have also made substantial investments in the sector.For example, the consortium owning EDENOR invested US$380 million till 1995, and isexpected to invest an additional US$500 million by 2000. Private sector investment in

    the entire electricity sector is projected to reach US$7 billion by the year 2001.

    Revenue implications for remaining areas: The strategy being proposed can beaccused of cherry picking the lucrative areas for private management. Thequestion naturally arises as to how the remaining distribution will be handled bythe SEBs, in the absence of the profitable urban areas. At the outset, it is necessaryto realise that many urban areasfor example, Lucknow and Bhubaneshwarare not presently profitable. In fact, the suggested strategy focuses on dense urbanareas because they have significant potential for efficiency gains. Their transferwill reduce losses to the boards and augment their revenues. In addition, bulksupply to urban licensees, wheeling charges and additional revenues in terms oftaxes and excise duty on the sale of electricity, as being currently practised incities like Ahmedabad and Mumbai, will also augment the SEB/governmentresources. These additional resources arising out of the expected efficiency gainswill result in more revenue, not less, which can be used to support distribution inthe remaining areas.

    Decentralised distribution and generation: Over time, other approaches will haveto be explored to solve the problem of developing extensive distribution networksin far-flung areas and consumers with limited capability to pay. A model worthconsideration is the one being thought about by West Bengal, that has created theRural Energy Development Corporation, that will be responsible for the distributionof power under 11 kV to all rural areas (Gupta 1998). Decentralised distributioncoupled with decentralised generation may be an answer to this problem. Thisapproach could also use non-conventional energy sources, which areenvironmentally beneficial. Even if the generation cost is higher, this may becompensated by direct cost-savings on building long-distance transmission linkagesand lower transmission losses.

    5. NEXT STEPS AND CONCLUSIONThis section lays out the next steps to be taken in order to implement the identifiedstrategy for improving resource mobilisation in the distribution systems of the Indianpower sector. The first two are absolutely necessary, while the third helps tosubstantially increase efficiency.

  • Power Sector Reform | 11

    Selection of centres: The first priority is to select twenty or so centres to start theprocess. To begin with, areas contiguous with urban zones currently under privatelicense, like Ahmedabad and Kolkata, can be offered. Urban centres in states thathave completed their unbundling exercise are the next natural target. Their sizewould vary from region to region, but indicative examples are Pune and Nagpur inMaharashtra, Vadodara and Rajkot in Gujarat, and Hyderabad and Visakhapatnamin Andhra Pradesh. Industrial estates with sufficient power consumption can alsobe included.

    Mode of transfer to private management: The actual mode can be determined ona case-to-case basis (as noted on page 7: Privatise the management) using atransparent process like international competitive bidding. Transfer of assets, whennecessary, should take place on the basis of the revenue stream it can be expected togenerate. In all cases, management autonomy must be guaranteed.

    Facilitating wheeling: The Indian Electricity Act will need to be amended to permitwheeling transactions, and electricity boards and the Power Grid Corporation willhave to be obligated to permit the use of their network for a charge to be determinedon a case-by-case basis by the central or state regulatory commissions. This, however,is not a precondition for successful transfer to private managements and can bedone in tandem with the above processes.

    Conclusion: In the above paragraphs, we attempted a quick review of thecharacteristics of the distribution system as it exists today, and the causes thathave led to this situation. More to the point, we have outlined a strategy that isbased upon increasing the size of the financial cake produced by the distributionsystem, rather than quarrelling over who gets the larger slice. The strategy reliesupon transferring urban areas and other such dense concentrations of consumersto private management, and implementing appropriate arrangements for theremaining distribution areas. We feel this can be quickly implemented, and thatthis can revitalise the Indian power sector by enhancing distribution efficiency,thereby generating additional revenues to bring in extra megawatts, withoutsovereign guarantees and take-or-pay contracts.

  • 12 | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

    REFERENCES

    1. Annual Report on the Working of State Electricity Boards and ElectricityDepartment by Planning Commission (November 1997).

    2. A Concept Note on Power Trading Corporation by T. L. Sankar (undated).

    3. Energising Power Sector: Light at the End of the Tunnel by R.K. Pachauri,Times of India (1 May 1998).

    4. PFCs Initiative on Power Sector Reform by Power Finance Corporation(undated).

    5. Privatisation of Distribution in India: Issues, Options and Lessons from OtherCountries by International Resource Group Ltd (8 December 1997).

    6. Report of the Committee on Private Sector Participation in PowerDistribution by S.J. Coelho (March 1998).

    7. Separate Power Corporation for Rural Sector in Bengal by Gautam Gupta,Economic Times (29 April 1998).

    NOTES1. This is based on a rough calculation. An annual increase of 8000 MW in capacity, at

    Rs 4 crore a megawatt, requires Rs 32,000 crore of investment. A 70:30 debt equity ratiowould imply that SEBs should be able to commit around Rs 10,000 crore.

    2. Studies conducted for various SEBs over the past few years have led to nearly similarreform structures. They all recommend the separation of the distribution systemfrom the generation and transmission systems, and the establishment of commissionsto set tariffs, license activities and perform other regulatory functions (Power FinanceCorporation, PFCs Initiative on Power Sector Reform; Coelho 1998).

    3. The current approach is to create zonal distribution companies. The franchise areasinclude a mix of paying consumers and mandated customers, who are supplied electricityat subsidised or free rates. Each zone has a mix of urban and rural areas, with far-flungdistribution networks, high cost of supply, and agricultural and irrigation loads fromwhich recovery has traditionally been weak. The currently defined franchise areas thusadd additional costs and social responsibilities that private investors are ill equipped toshoulder. Such privatisation needs transparent and guaranteed mechanisms for flow ofsubsidy from the state government to the licensee, which complicates the process anddetracts from commercial orientation.

    4. Some estimates indicate that there is about 15,000 MW of captive generating capacitywhich will be decaptivated by the wheeling provision (Sankar, A Concept Note onPower Trading Corporation).

    5. Based on the Annual Report on the Working of State Electricity Boards and ElectricityDepartment by Planning Commission (1997) and newspaper reports.

  • Power Sector in India | 13

    1. INTRODUCTIONSince Independence, in 1947, the Indian power sector has been mainly dominatedby the public sector. As of 31 March 1997, about 95 per cent of the total installedcapacity of 85,919 MW was owned by the central (32 per cent) and state (63 percent) sector undertakings. In terms of fuel-type mix, thermal, hydro andnuclear capacities account for 72 per cent, 25 per cent and 3 per cent respectively.During the year 199697, the total generation in the country was about 394billion units.

    Legislation: Under the Indian constitution, electricity is on the concurrent listmeaning that it comes under the purview of both the central (federal) and state(provincial) governments. The Indian Electricity (IE) Act 1910 and the ElectricitySupply (ES) Act 1948 are the key Central Acts, under the broad ambit of whichindividual states have enacted their own laws. The IE Act 1910, which was enactedwhile India was still under the British rule, defines the obligations, powers andresponsibilities of licensees in the electricity industry. Few such licensees exist today.The ES Act of 1948, passed soon after India achieved independence, set out theframework for establishing the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the StateElectricity Boards (SEBs) and generating companies. The first SEBs were establishedin the early 1950s, soon after the legislation had been enacted. The industrial policyresolution adopted in 1956 provided that generation and transmission of electricitywould be reserved exclusively for the public sector. Accordingly, the law stated thatno person or firm shall engage in the business of supplying energy to the publicexcept with the previous sanction of the state government. Although the centralgovernment is apparently competent to give permission to generating companies

    POWER SECTOR IN INDIA:A Summary DescriptionNovember 19982

  • 14 | Indian Infrastructure: Evolving Perspectives

    to sell energy, it can only do so for the sales aimed at SEBs or State ElectricityDepartments (SEDs).

    2. INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTUREAlthough policy, generation and transmission activities are undertaken by both thecentral and state governments, distribution and supply of electricity to the finalconsumer and the associated tariff setting are exclusively under the purview of thestate governments. A pictorial representation of the institutional structure of theIndian power sector is provided in Figure 2.1.

    Figure 2.1: Institutional structure of the Indian power sector

    Central level: At the federal level, the Ministry of Power and Non-ConventionalEnergy Sources is responsible for power policy as well as the generation andtransmission capacity in the central sector undertakings (CSUs).

    Policy: In policy setting, the ministry is assisted by the Central Electricity Authority(CEA), which was formed in 1948 as the industrys regulatory body.1 In addition tocontributing to national power policy, CEA also undertakes other coordinatingactivities such as conducting appraisals of projects, granting clearances and issuingguidelines for setting tariffs.

    Generation: The generating capacity in the central sector accounts for about 30 percent of the countrys total generating capacity. This capacity comes mainly from theNational Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the National HydroelectricPower Corporation (NHPC). SEBs draw their share of power from these CSUs, andeach CSU is entitled to a tariff that is an aggregate of three componentsfixed cost

    Governmentof India

    Central Electricity Authority (CEA)

    StateGovernments

    State Electricity Boards (SEBs)/

    Departments (SEDs)

    Departmentof Energy

    Private sector licensees

    Ministryof Power

    Department of Atomic Energy

    NationalDevelopment

    Council

    PlanningCommission

    NuclearPower Corporation

    National ThermalPower Corporation(NTPC) and others

    Generating utilities

    Power Grid Corporation of

    India Ltd (PGCIL)

    Transmission utilityRegional

    Electricity Boards (REBs)

  • Power Sector in India | 15

    (capacity charge), variable cost (energy charge) and incentive. With a capacity of16,795 MW, NTPC is the largest power generating utility in the country, contributingabout 20 per cent of the total installed capacity in the country. In terms of PlantLoad Factor (PLF), NTPC achieved a PLF of 77 per cent in 199697 as against thenational average of 64 per cent.

    Transmission: In recognition of the need for greater integration of the transmissionsystem, five regional electricity boards (REBs) were established in 1964, coveringthe northern, western, southern, eastern and north-eastern regions. These REBsco-ordinate system operations within each regional grid through regional loaddispatch centres (RLDCs). In 1989, the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited(PGCIL) was established for managing the national transmission and dispatchingsystem. As of March 1997, PGCIL was operating about 27,853 circuit kilometres(CKMs) of transmission lines, distributed over 54 substations with 23,331 MVAof transformation capacity. PGCILs performance in terms of overall averageavailability of its transmission linesat above 98 per centis comparable tointernational standards. About 30 per cent of the countrys total installedgenerating capacity (81,500 MW) is connected to its network. Currently, PGCILis in the process of linking regional grids, through a series of high voltage directcurrent (HVDC) interconnections. On the successful completion of this process,PGCILs network would have the capacity to transfer 1000 to 1500 MW of powerfrom any one region to another.

    State level: State governments are exclusively responsible for the supply of power tofinal consumers located in the state, along with associated tariffs. In the states, thepolicy for the power sector is looked after by the depar