IRPRI · Policy & Regulations

101 Introduction to the Indian Power Sector

A foundation course on how India’s electricity sector works: evolution, the Electricity Act 2003, key institutions, tariff setting, and real case studies with classroom simulations.

What you will be able to do

  • By the end of this course you will be able to:
  • • Explain the evolution of India’s power sector and key milestones
  • • Summarize core provisions of the Electricity Act 2003 and why they matter
  • • Identify central and state institutions and describe their mandates and jurisdictions
  • • Walk through tariff setting principles in generation, transmission, and distribution
  • • Interpret regulatory orders and landmark judgments and translate them into actionable insights
  • • Draft basic components of a tariff petition, speaking order, or stakeholder submission

Syllabus at a glance

  1. Lesson 1. Evolution of the electricity sector in India
  2. Lesson 2. Electricity Act 2003: objectives, scope, and structure
  3. Lesson 3. Subordinate legislation, rules, regulations, and policies
  4. Lesson 4. Institutional map: MoP, MNRE, CEA, CERC, SERCs, APTEL, CTU/STUs, DISCOMs
  5. Lesson 5. Grid governance: NLDC, RLDCs, SLDCs and RPCs
  6. Lesson 6. Tariff setting for generation: cost-plus vs competitive bidding
  7. Lesson 7. Transmission pricing and methodology
  8. Lesson 8. Distribution ARR, retail tariff design, and true-up processes
  9. Lesson 9. Renewable energy tariffs, REC, RtM updates, and consumer rights rules
  10. Lesson 10. Case studies, mock hearing, and drafting exercise

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Introduction to the Indian Power Sector

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