Bhubaneswar, 24 June (H.S.) A high-level Conference of State Energy Ministers and Energy Secretaries from Eastern Region States and Union Territories was held today in Patna, Bihar, under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Union Power Minister Shri Manoharlal. Odisha Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Energy, Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, participated in the conference and presented an extensive overview of Odisha’s power sector, reaffirming the state's commitment to building a resilient, green, and future-ready energy infrastructure.
Shri Singh Deo emphasized that Odisha has transitioned from being a power-sufficient to a power-empowered state, with the current peak power demand of 6,242 MW being fully met. He stated that by 2036, 61% of the state’s power portfolio is projected to be sourced from non-fossil fuels. Odisha plans to add 11,294 MW of renewable energy capacity, including solar, wind, hydro, distributed renewable energy (DRE), and pumped storage, of which 3,904 MW has already been contracted.
He highlighted major developments in power infrastructure, including islanding schemes that have enhanced grid resilience and ensured uninterrupted power supply during emergencies. By 2030, the state aims to establish 225 substations and 20,939 ckm of transmission lines, achieving a transformation capacity of 45,369 MVA. Renewable energy evacuation corridors such as Hirakud–Kolabira–Duburi, Indravati–Theruvali–Gopalpur, and others are being actively developed.
Addressing the financial performance of the power sector, Shri Singh Deo noted that AT&C losses have declined significantly from 29.5% in FY21 to 16.5% in FY25. Furthermore, three out of four DISCOMs in Odisha received A+ ratings in the 12th and 13th Annual Rankings of Power Distribution Utilities and are ranked among India’s top ten performing utilities.
Seeking support from the Government of India, the Deputy Chief Minister urged the sanction of ₹6,284 crore under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme, central assistance for disaster-resilient power infrastructure, and the allocation of 800 MW of power from the NLC Talabira Phase II project. He also sought viability gap funding for green energy transmission corridors, pumped storage projects in line with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), floating solar and offshore wind projects, and the study of tidal energy potential along the Odisha coastline.
Further, he requested exemption of the ₹400/ton state compensation cess on coal dispatched from the Manoharpur Captive Coal Mine to OPGC, relaxation in ash utilization targets by MoEF&CC, allotment of MCL mine voids for fly ash backfilling, and a waiver of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 NoC condition for transmission line projects.
The conference was also attended by Shri Vishal Dev, Principal Secretary, Energy Department, and Shri Bhaskar Jyoti Sharma, CMD, OPTCL, who supported the state’s power roadmap and reinforced Odisha’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive energy growth.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda
