If the ministry has its way, rates will not be fixed by appropriate commissions, but by competition

In a bid to provide a much-needed relief to crisis-hit power companies, the power ministry has proposed changes in the Electricity Act to reform the tariff determination mechanism. If the ministry has its way, rates will not be fixed by appropriate commissions, but by competition. However, the Forum of Regulators (FoR), a representative body of regulatory commissions in the country, has taken strong objection to the power ministry’s ministry’s proposal to amend the Section 62 and 63 of the Act, citing the Indian power market was still evolving and there was no need for such amendments at this point in time.