Power Ministry’s Chintan Shivir 2026 Concludes, Outlines Roadmap to 100 GW Hydro Pumped Storage by 2035–36 and Strengthens DISCOM Reforms

The two-day ‘Chintan Shivir’ of the Ministry of Power, held on 22–23 January 2026 at Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh, concluded today, bringing together senior officials, industry leaders, regulators, and academicians to chart the future course of India’s power sector.

The event was inaugurated by Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Shri Manohar Lal, and attended by Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy Shri Shripad Naik, senior officials from the Ministry of Power, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), CPSEs, State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs), and industry experts.

Shri Manohar Lal highlighted India’s achievements in the power sector and stressed the need to confront persistent challenges to ensure a robust, sustainable, and consumer-centric electricity sector, in line with India’s long-term vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Key Deliberations

Discussions over the two days focused on:

-Draft Electricity Amendment Bill, 2026 to enhance financial viability, economic competitiveness, and facilitate energy transition.

-Draft Electricity Policy 2026, targeting per capita consumption of 2,000 kWh by 2030 and 4,000 kWh by 2047, with a 45% reduction in emissions intensity by 2030 and net-zero by 2070.

-Accelerating nuclear power capacity development.

-Reforms in the distribution sector to ensure sustainable outcomes.

-Optimising transmission, distributed energy resources, and storage to achieve a 300 GWh storage target by 2030.

-Minimising litigation through standardisation, digitisation, and procedural clarity.

The Shivir included detailed deliberations on structural reforms for DISCOMs, focusing on operational, financial, and regulatory measures to restore long-term viability. Sessions addressed rationalising cross-subsidies, boosting industrial competitiveness, and supporting employment generation. Strategies to reduce avoidable disputes in tariff determination, grid connectivity, and change-in-law claims were also discussed, with the aim of lowering costs and improving the investment climate.

CEA Report on Hydro Pumped Storage Projects

During the event, Shri Manohar Lal released the CEA report titled “Roadmap to 100 GW of Hydro Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) by 2035–36”. The report outlines India’s plan to meet rising energy storage needs, with 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and 701 GW by 2035. Storage requirements are projected at 62 GW by 2029–30 and 161 GW by 2034–35, with 100 GW of PSPs targeted by 2035–36.

The report highlights PSPs as a clean, large-scale, long-life, and largely indigenous storage solution, identifies state-wise potential, proposes a phased capacity addition plan, and recommends policy, regulatory, and implementation measures, with an emphasis on off-stream closed-loop projects to support grid resilience and India’s clean energy transition.

14th Integrated Rating and Ranking of Power Distribution Utilities

The Shivir also saw the release of the 14th Integrated Rating and Ranking Report of Power Distribution Utilities, evaluating 65 DISCOMs nationwide. This year, 31 utilities achieved A+ or A ratings, with Torrent Power Ahmedabad and Torrent Power Surat topping the overall rankings for FY2024–25. Among State-owned DISCOMs, Uttar Gujarat Vij Company Limited (UGVCL) achieved the best rating.

Shri Manohar Lal urged stakeholders to ensure time-bound implementation of reforms, emphasising that sustained collaboration between the Centre, States, utilities, industry, and institutions is crucial to establishing India as a global leader in the power sector.