In a major move to expand its presence into Mumbai, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL or Mahavitaran) has filed a petition with the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) seeking a parallel licence to supply electricity across key areas of the financial capital.Filed under Sections 14 and 15 of the Electricity Act, 2003, and in accordance with MERC Rules, 2006 and the Electricity Distribution Licence Rules, 2005, the application aims to grant Mahavitaran the right to distribute power in regions ranging from Colaba to Mahim, Bandra to Dahisar, Vikhroli to Mankhurd, and parts of Chena, Kajupada, and the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation limits.Currently, power in Mumbai is supplied by three entities — Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST), Adani Electricity Mumbai Ltd, and Tata Power Mumbai. Mahavitaran already serves Mulund and Bhandup, and gaining a wider foothold would mark a significant expansion for the state-run utility.Mahavitaran is one of India’s largest electricity distributors, serving over 31.7 million customers across Maharashtra. Its infrastructure spans 4,230 substations, nearly 25,000 high-voltage feeders, around 960,000 distribution transformers, and over 364,000 kilometres of 11 kV lines. The utility supplies power to 457 cities and over 41,900 villages, delivering a daily capacity of 26,000 MW.The company noted that Mumbai’s power demand stands at around 4,000 MW and is expected to surge due to major infrastructure projects like metro expansion, coastal roads, and rising energy needs from service sectors and data centres in both eastern and western suburbs.To address this growing requirement, Mahavitaran has signed power purchase agreements under the Resource Adequacy Plan, aiming to raise Maharashtra’s generation capacity from 42,000 MW to 81,000 MW over the next five years. A large share of this increase is expected to come from renewable energy sources, enabling sustainable and cost-effective power delivery.As part of its Mumbai entry proposal, Mahavitaran has also recommended a reduction in electricity tariffs, reinforcing its commitment to affordable energy access.“With over 70 years of experience in power distribution, robust infrastructure, and adequate power availability, Mahavitaran is fully equipped to serve Mumbai’s residential, commercial, and industrial consumers with clean, reliable, and economical electricity,” the company said.