Odisha to remain unique in power sector reforms: Minister

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OST Bureau

Bhubaneswar, Oct 25:

Energy Minister Arun Sahoo on Friday said Odisha, as the pioneer in the field, will always remain unique in the area of power sector reforms.

The Minister was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a national seminar on electricity being organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Odisha chapter.

“The deliberation on electricity in the FICCI seminar would give a new direction to electricity sector of Odisha,” Sahoo hoped.

The Minister said that Phailin had given a major jolt to the power sector in southern Odisha, especially in Ganjam district where four lakh poles were destroyed. It also destroyed 35 out of the 47 sub-stations and uprooted 100 towers in the district, said the Minister adding that power connections had been restored to nearly 80,000 families.

FICCI, Odisha chapter chairman Subhrakant Panda said that the main aim of the seminar was to facilitate interaction among stakeholders to harness the tremendous potential of the State in energy sector.

“Since Odisha is a pioneer State in electricity reforms, we decided to work on the sector,” said Panda.

Panda said that the seminar would discuss in detail issues like renewable energy, smart grid, transmission and distribution and chart out a road map for development of the sector after proper deliberation and debate over the subject.

After witnessing the effect of Phailin and the resultant flood, Panda said the seminar wpould come out with recommendations that can help the electricity sector withstand the fury of nature during natural calamities.

Among others, Energy secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena, Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) chairman SP Nanda, FICCI Odisha’s energy panel chairman Sanjeev Das and Government officials were present.

 

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