Odisha's Ambitious Energy Goals: Aiming for a Sustainable Future
Odisha's Energy Transformation
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has declared its successful shift from being merely power-sufficient to becoming a power-empowered state, seeking assistance from the Centre to establish itself as a benchmark in the electricity sector.
During a conference attended by energy ministers and secretaries from the eastern region, Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo, who oversees the power department, made this announcement in Patna, chaired by Union Power Minister Manoharlal.
Singh Deo highlighted that Odisha has met its peak power demand of 6,242 MW and aims for 61% of its power generation to come from non-fossil sources by 2036.
The state plans to add 11,294 MW of energy capacity by 2036, incorporating solar, wind, hydro, distributed renewable energy (DRE), and pumped storage, with 3,904 MW already contracted.
He also mentioned that Odisha has enhanced its Grid Resilience through Islanding Schemes, ensuring a consistent power supply even during grid failures.
By 2030, the state will have 225 substations and 20,939 circuit kilometers of transmission lines, boasting a total transformation capacity of 45,369 MVA.
Additionally, the development of renewable power evacuation corridors is underway, including projects like Hirakud–Kolabira–Duburi and Indravati–Theruvali–Gopalpur.
Singh Deo noted a significant reduction in Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses, dropping from 29.5% in FY21 to 16.5% in FY25.
Three out of four DISCOMs have achieved A+ ratings in the 12th and 13th Annual Rankings of Power Distribution Utilities, ranking among the top 10 in India.
The minister requested the Central government's proactive support for crucial initiatives, including the sanction of Rs 6,284 crore under the revamped distribution sector scheme, financial aid for disaster-resilient power infrastructure, and allocation of 800 MW from the NLC Talabira Phase II project.
Furthermore, the state government is seeking assistance for Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for Pumped Storage Projects, floating solar initiatives, offshore wind projects, and a study on tidal potential along Odisha's coastline.