HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, June 20: Assam is undertaking long-term strategic measures to become energy self-reliant, with the state’s power demand expected to surge to 5,500 megawatts by 2035, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday.
He was speaking at the release of THIRD AMPERE, a commemorative volume marking the evolution of the power sector in Assam and the Northeast, coinciding with the Silver Jubilee celebration of the Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission (AERC).
The event was held at the Assam Administrative Staff College, Guwahati.
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According to an official statement, the Chief Minister launched five newly introduced and revised regulatory frameworks developed by AERC during the programme.
The book THIRD AMPERE, which documents the history and transformation of the region’s power landscape, was also unveiled on the occasion.
Sarma noted that the state’s electricity demand has grown by 11% annually over the past four years, driven by infrastructure development, industrialisation, and improvements in living standards.
While Assam currently generates around 500 megawatts of electricity on its own, it draws approximately 1,800 megawatts from the central grid to meet daily requirements.
He added that peak demand during recent summer weeks had reached 2,700 megawatts and could rise to 2,900 megawatts by September.
Highlighting the state’s proactive approach to this increasing demand, the chief minister said that a roadmap has been developed to ensure power security by 2035.
The strategy includes the generation of 5,000 megawatts of solar power and the identification of suitable sites for installing 8,000 megawatts of pumped storage systems to store solar energy for night-time use.
In addition, the Union Ministry of Power has granted approval for establishing a 3,000-megawatt thermal power project in Assam.
The Chief Minister also pointed out that significant reforms in the power sector over the past four and a half years have led to remarkable progress.
Power transmission and distribution losses have been brought down from nearly 30% to 15.5%.
The implementation of smart metering systems has further contributed to improved efficiency.
Sarma stated that as a result of these reforms, all three power distribution companies in the state have become profitable, enabling the government to reduce electricity tariffs by Rs 1 per unit.
On the investment front, Sarma said the state is witnessing a surge in industrial and infrastructure development.
He informed that during the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit, investment proposals worth Rs 5 lakh crore were signed—Rs 3 lakh crore in the industrial sector and Rs 2 lakh crore in infrastructure.
Of these, projects worth Rs. 60,000 crore are already under implementation, with several expected to become operational by the end of the year.
These developments, he added, would further increase the state’s electricity needs.
Sarma acknowledged the critical role of AERC in shaping Assam’s power policy over the past 25 years.
He praised the Commission’s efforts to ensure that electricity reforms benefit not just producers and distributors, but consumers as well.
He expressed confidence that the newly launched regulatory frameworks would contribute to more transparent and consumer-friendly governance in the energy sector.
THIRD AMPERE, the commemorative volume, documents the region’s power journey, including the electrification of Shillong in 1923, Jorhat in 1924, Guwahati in 1927, and Tezpur in 1933.
It also features the pioneering work of Kashinath Saikia and the establishment of the Assam State Electricity Board in 1958, among other significant milestones.
The event was attended by Chairperson of AERC Kumar Sanjay Krishna, Member Alokeshwar Bhattacharyya, former Chairpersons Subhash Chandra Das and Jayanta Borkakati, Chancellor of Nagaland University Dr Samudra Gupta Kashyap, and other senior officials and dignitaries.
