Gurugram, February 10 Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) Chairman Nand Lal Sharma said on Tuesday that modernizing the state's power distribution system is essential for public sector utilities to compete with private sector companies.
Presiding over a hearing here, Sharma said that power distribution corporations must pay special attention to reducing their Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses and improving consumer satisfaction.
"Just as telecom consumers have the freedom to choose their service provider, the possibility of providing similar options to electricity consumers is being considered for the future," Sharma said in an official statement.
The hearing was held to seek suggestions, comments, and objections from consumers regarding the Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) petition filed by the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) for the financial year 2026-27. Commission Members Mukesh Garg and Shiv Kumar were also present.
According to the ARR petitions, both state power distribution corporations require a total revenue of Rs 51,156.71 crore for the 2026-27 fiscal. While the estimated revenue at the current tariffs is Rs 52,761.87 crore, showing a surplus of Rs 1,605.16 crore, the corporations have shown a total deficit of Rs 4,484.71 crore after adjusting for revenue gaps from the previous years.
DHBVN Managing Director Vikram Singh informed the commission that the corporation currently has 45.12 lakh consumers and has recorded AT&C losses of 11.67 per cent. He said the corporation is taking effective steps to further reduce these losses and enhance consumer satisfaction.
Chairman Sharma stated that the commission's primary responsibility is to balance consumer interests and the financial needs of power distribution companies. He added that the commission ensures that power distribution companies do not incur unnecessary expenditure and that the burden is not passed on to consumers.
He also emphasized the need for flexible and future-oriented power procurement, adopting a long-term approach to power procurement matters. Sharma suggested that power distribution corporations should align their planning with the country's development roadmap for 2047.
