Government Launches National Centre to Strengthen Power Sector Regulation and Market Reforms

The Government of India has launched a Centre of Excellence for Regulatory Affairs in the Power Sector to strengthen regulatory capacity, policy research, and market development in India’s rapidly evolving electricity sector. The initiative reflects a coordinated effort to support evidence-based regulation as the country navigates rising power demand, renewable energy integration, and structural reforms.

The Centre has been established through collaboration between key government-linked institutions, including the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) — the statutory regulator for interstate power transmission and tariffs — and Grid Controller of India Ltd (Grid India), the government-owned entity responsible for real-time grid operations and system reliability.

Inaugurating the Centre, the Union Power Minister emphasised the growing complexity of the power sector, driven by clean energy targets, expansion of power markets, digitalisation, and the need for financially sustainable distribution companies. He underlined that stronger regulatory frameworks and skilled regulatory professionals are essential to manage this transition effectively.

The Centre will function as a national knowledge and capacity-building hub, focusing on regulatory research, training programmes, policy advisory support, and dissemination of best practices. Its work will contribute to improving market design, tariff structures, grid governance, and regulatory responses to emerging challenges such as energy storage, green hydrogen, and cross-border power trade.

The initiative also aligns with upcoming legislative and policy reforms in the electricity sector, including proposed amendments aimed at improving operational efficiency and financial discipline. By bridging academic research, regulatory expertise, and system operations, the Centre is expected to play a key role in strengthening India’s power sector governance and long-term energy transition objectives.