Date - Sep 6, 2017
The NITI Aayog has notified the draft National Electricity Policy aimed at enhancing energy independence, increasing access at affordable prices, ensuring greater sustainability and higher economic growth. The NEP anticipates major transformations on the energy demand and supply sides arising out of evolving technology, consumer behaviour and air quality considerations and also suggests interventions to reduce the gap in energy consumption parameters between rural and urban areas. According to the draft, the share of solar and wind is expected to be 14-18 per cent and 9-11 per cent in electricity mix, and 3-5 per cent and 2-3 per cent in the primary commercial energy mix respectively, by 2040. Further, it proposes 100 per cent electrification and clean cooking coverage by 2022. The policy also pushes for corporatising Coal India Limited’s subsidiaries and for higher production from private coal miners through comprehensive reforms in allocating coal blocks. The NEP will be finalised after consultations with stakeholders and the last date of submitting comments is July 14, 2017. The proposed policy would replace the Integrated Energy Policy framed by the erstwhile Planning Commission in 2008.
