Title: Evolution of legal framework and regulatory challenges in the context of Indian power sector reform

Authors: Niranjan Kumar, Devadutta Das, N.P. Padhy

Addresses: Electrical Engineering Department, National Institute of Technology Jamshedpur, Jamshedpur 831014, India. ' Water Resources Development & Management Department, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, India. ' Electrical Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, India

Abstract: The paper aims to give an overview of Indian power sector with some historical background and traces the development of regulation of electricity starting with the provisions of the Indian Electricity Act 1910, the Electricity (Supply) Act 1948, Indian Electricity Regulatory Act 1998 and the Electricity Act 2003. They gave authority to central and state governments to regulate power sector. The Regulatory Act 1998 empowers the respective government for tariff fixation and certain licensing. Still, there are some difficulties and challenges for the regulatory institutions, which need to be resolved. Also, the overall reforms so far in the different states of India have been highlighted and finally some concluding remarks have been presented.

Keywords: Electricity Act 2003; electricity industry; regulation; India; power sector reform.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETP.2011.039218

International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy, 2011 Vol.7 No.4, pp.342 - 357

Published online: 26 Mar 2015 *

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