The Centre for Energy Regulation (CER), IIT Kanpur, organised the Dissemination Symposium on “Shaping the Next Era of Power Sector Reforms in India” under the Power Sector Reforms (PSR) Phase II programme supported by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). This high-profile event hosted regulators, senior government officials, industry leaders, researchers and experts to discuss the future of India’s power sector through regulatory advancements, market innovations, and data-driven policymaking.

The symposium shared some of the key outcomes of the activities under the PSR – II program, and reflected on their impact. The activities under the program includes those aimed at strengthening regulatory research, enhancing institutional capabilities, and facilitating knowledge exchange within the country and with its European counterparts. With support from the UK Government, the initiative contributes to India’s energy transition, paving the way for a more sustainable and intelligent power ecosystem.

Prof. Manindra Agrawal, Director of IIT Kanpur, conveyed his views in absentia, "As we all know, India is pursuing the goal of achieving net zero by 2070 and the government's strong policy framework for the energy sector is driving the country's pivotal role in global energy transition. This energy revolution is rapidly unfolding across the country, and technological research plays a key role in advancing it. Whether last-mile grid connectivity or seamless renewable energy integration, collaboration between academia and industry will be essential to navigating the evolving energy landscape.”

Prof. Anoop Singh, Founder & Coordinator of the Centre for Energy Regulation (CER), highlighted the role of CER, which was set up at the Department of Management Sciences (DOMS), through a support from the UK government under PSR Phase I. Prof. Singh presented an account of the key activities and outcome of the PSR II program. Innovative ideas presented by Prof. Singh on role of Derivatives especially Contract for Differences (CfD), and Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) based Unified RPO compliance mechanism, and Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) found resonance during the panel discussions. Importance of data analytics and knowledge-based tools was also deliberated by a panel of experts.

Mr. Jishnu Barua, Chairperson, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission as well as Dr. Alok Tandon, Chairman, Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission emphasized the need for innovative regulatory interventions supported through focused research, and commended the role of CER in this context. Prof. Tarun Gupta, Dean, Research & Development, IIT Kanpur, highlighted the importance of research at academic institutions to support India’s energy transition, and highlighted IITK’s contributions towards the same. Ms. Laura Aylett, Head, Climate and Energy, British High Commission in India, emphasized the achievements of the Power Sector Reforms Programme (PSR) – I and the milestones reached under PSR – II. She underscored the need for further initiatives similar to the PSR Programme to drive research and development in India's evolving power sector fostering a low-carbon ecosystem. Ms. Aylett also referenced recent advancements in the UK energy sector, drawing parallels to India's transition towards sustainable energy solutions.

The symposium featured a distinguished panel chairs and panellists including Dr. Alok Tandon (Chairperson, JERC for Goa & Union Territories), Mr. Arun Goyal (Former Member, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission), Mr. Ghanshyam Prasad (Chairperson, Central Electricity Authority), Mr. Alok Kumar (Former Secretary, Ministry of Power), Mr. B.C. Mallick (Central Electricity Authority), Ms. Ann Josey (Prayas), Mr. Vikas Gaba (KPMG India), Mr. S.C. Saxena (Grid Controller of India), Dr. S.K. Chatterjee (Central Electricity Regulatory Commission), Mr. Rohit Bajaj (Indian Energy Exchange), Mr. Milind Deore (Bureau of Energy Efficiency), Mr. S.K. Soonee (Former CEO, Grid Controller of India), Mr. Atul Bali (NSGM & Smart Metering Expert), Mr. Abhishek Ranjan (BSES Rajdhani), Smt. Rashmi S. Nair (CERC), and Dr. Eshita Gupta (KPMG India).