New Delhi: Capt Dibya Shankar Mishra, Minister of State for Energy, Industries and MSMEs, Government of Odisha today said that the route to development, for any state, is energy. The primary indicator of a developed society depends on how much energy is consumed and the way people live. Communication and energy are the two most important aspects for everyone, even for those living in the remotest of places, he added.
Addressing the sixth edition of Em-Power- Energy Scenario of Odisha: Growth, Challenges, Opportunities and Road Ahead, organised by FICCI Odisha State Council, Capt Mishra said that the Odisha Energy Department has evolved to be a good energy system in the country. “Odisha is one of the prime leading states in privatising Discoms. We are self-sufficient in terms of energy production as well. Transmission networks across the state are being strengthened and we are slowly overcoming the crisis that was brought on by the pandemic last year. The Discoms are at full distribution capacity. This is the time to consolidate and work harder,” he said.
Capt Mishra further stated that energy will be a focus sector for the state and development, in terms of renewable and new energy, will come in a big way. We should think global and about the environment. With all our efforts the energy sector in Odisha will improve, he said.
The Minister also urged the industry to look at ways to improve the power scenario in the state through MSMEs. “I request the people concerned with power distribution and transmission to utilise the local MSMEs in Odisha and provide them with technical standards. There is a lot of scope with the MSMEs with regard to energy production,” he said.
The Minister urged everyone to ensure quality and uninterrupted power to the last man in the state.
Ms Monica Nayyar Patnaik, Chair, FICCI Odisha State Council & Managing Director, Sambad Group, said that Odisha has been one of the first states to have a private energy sector and is an energy-abundant state.
Mr Shenbagam Manthiram, CEO, TATA Power Central Odisha Distribution Ltd said that though the power sector was as much affected by the pandemic last year, the scenario has been steadily improving these past months. “Last month we saw power demand crossing the 200 GW mark. This is an unprecedented growth. From the power sector perspective, we need to ensure 24×7 supply to all, be it hospitals or industries,” he said.
Industrialization and growth of industries is happening in a pre-planned manner in the state, Mr Manthiram said. “I see a double-digit growth in the sector. I am glad to share that we will soon be having a biotech park being developed in the state. Odisha is also focusing on Ease of Doing Business. We have an investment plan of INR 5,000 crores in five years. Reliability of power has improved tremendously in the past one year. Tripping, too, has come down between 50 to 70 per cent, and it gets better every day,” he added.
Mr Sunil Kumar Satya, Regional Executive Director, NTPC, said that with electricity reaching the remotest of areas its usage will increase too, which will further lead to a spur in the demand. “With the growth of industrialization and IT sector entering the state in a big way, the demand is going to be very high. We must gear up to add capacity of various forms of energy so that we can meet the challenges in the coming days,” he said.
Mr Trilochan Panda, Managing Director, GRIDCO, said that Odisha in the last decade has encouraged massive industrialisation and other measures and has emerged as a land of opportunities for the industrial sector.
“In Odisha we have the capacity to provide 24 x 7 reliable quality power to the industries as well as the state. The state has a robust transmission network and a large distribution network to supply to the medium and small industries as well. Odisha has also introduced a single window clearance for providing power supply to the industries and the industries do not have to take the pain of setting up their own captive generation plants,” he added.
Mr Anish De, Partner- Global Sector Head, Power & Utilities, KPMG Resources & Chemicals National Head-Energy Natural Resources and Chemicals, KPMG in India, said that a much more holistic view of regulations rather than a very narrow tariff related view is needed in the state. “Going forward there are a few tenets- decarbonisation; resilience; technology, that we need to take care of to be more prepared to face natural disasters. We need to think globally as well as sustainably,” he said.
Mr BB Mehta, Director (SLDC) OPTCL; Mr Rabindra Satpathy, Director, International Solar Energy Society; Prof Gopal Krishna Sarangi, Professor-TERI School of Advanced Studies; Prof Kamala Kanta Dash, Director, Centre for Climate Change & Sustainability, Sri Sri University and Dr. Shikta Singh, Associate Professor, KIIT University put forth their views on the growth, challenges, and opportunities for the energy sector in Odisha.
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