AIPEF bags govt order to link 33 kV substations to power grid

The All India Power Engineers' Federation (AIPEF) opposed the government's order to connect 33 kilovolt (kV) substations to the power grid, calling it a backdoor attempt at privatisation of the electricity sector. According to the officials, all 33 kV power sub-stations operating under the state's electric distribution companies and their networks will be merged with transmission companies under a government order dated September 1 that was sent to the state government. Consumer services will be harmed, according to officials, if the 33-KV substation, which is the backbone of the power distribution system and is run by the 33 or 11kV network, is merged with the state's Vidyut Prasaran Nigam. Officials told the media that the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021, is an attempt by the government to bring the private sector into distribution by scrapping distribution company licences. Officials also said that while private companies have been given the option of using the government distribution network for power distribution in their preferred area, government distribution companies will be required to supply consumers of all classes. Private companies have been given complete freedom in the Bill to supply power to industrial and commercial consumers of their choice at a profit. They also claimed that the bill allows private companies to profit without having to spend any money on power network maintenance or upgrades. Since a declaration has been made to transfer the power grid to the private sector in the national monetisation pipeline, the aforementioned exercise of the government is meant to prepare a platform for private companies to mint money without hindrance. The country's power engineers may go to any length to thwart the government's efforts to set up a money-minting platform for the private sector, according to officials. Image Source Also read: PGCIL pauses laying of overhead transmission lines in Rajasthan