At the time of Independence, availability of power was confined to a few urban and industrial pockets of Haryana and its villages were engulfed in darkness. However, during the Congress regime in 1970, Haryana became the first state in the country to provide electricity to hundred per cent of its villages. Today, all the 6,764 villages and 106 towns are electrified, whereas in 1966-67, when Haryana came into existence; there were only 1,322 villages and towns which were electrified. During that time, there were 3.19 lakh consumers and the consumption of electricity was 4,343 lakh KWH annually whereas at present there are about 42 lakh consumers of different categories. This shows that the demand for electricity has increased by manifold. Talking about the rising demand for power in the state, Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, "We have taken effective steps to generate an additional 5,000 MW of power during our tenure to bridge the gap between demand and supply. We have purchased power at a high rate of Rs 9 per unit to supply it to the agricultural sector. With new power generation projects becoming functional, the consumers in the state will get uninterrupted power supply for 20 to 22 hours everyday." Power has not only obliterated Haryana's backwardness but also propelled it into a modern era of civilisation. Today from roads to houses, schools to offices, agriculture to industries, power has become an important prerequisite. Considering this, Haryana has also become the second state in the country to undertake power sector reforms to restore reliability and creditworthiness of the power industry and create an environment to attract private investment, promote efficiency and facilitate sustainable development of the power sector in the state. Power Reforms The Haryana State Electricity Board (HSEB) was dismanteled to create wholly state-owned corporations-HPGC (Haryana Power Generation Corporation), HVPN (Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam), UHBVN (Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitaran Nigam) and DHBVN (Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitaran Nigam). They are responsible for power generation, trading, transmission and distribution in the state. The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission was constituted to aid and advice the government on the development of the power sector, to regulate power utilities and take appropriate measures to balance the interest of various stakeholders in the power sector, namely electricity consumers, power entities and generation companies etc. The HVPN was further reorganized on July 1, 1999 by carving out two more corporations, namely the Utter Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd. (UHBVN) and the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd. (DHBVN), which are responsible for distribution and retail supply of power. Rise in power demand Rapid industrialization, modern agriculture requirements and urbanization have contributed to an increase in the demand for power, which is growing at the rate of about 15 per cent per annum. More than 70 million units of power are being supplied daily, of which about 50 per cent goes to the agriculture sector. On an average, 748 lakh units were supplied to the consumers daily in 2008-09 against 738 lakh units in 2007-08. This is a sharp rise from just 48 KWH in 1966-67. Chaudhary Suraj Mai, an 80-years old man of Bidhlan village in Sonipat says, "The living standard of people has changed a lot. Today, we have made ourselves so dependent on it that we cannot imagine living without electricity." The government stands committed to increase the production of electricity in the state and supply high quality cost-effective power to consumers of all categories by strengthening the transmission and distribution network. Haryana is emerging as a hub of fast-paced industrial activity, including the highest number of special economic zones (SEZs), and a hot destination of investment, both domestic and foreign. The government is making efforts to ensure that industries receive uninterrupted power supply of standard voltage. While it achieved only 4,000 MW capacity in the last 40 years, the government aims to add 5,000 MW more. Fulfilling the shortfall Against the demand of 5,644 MW at present, the state has an installed and contracted power generation capacity of 4,644.30 MW, which was only 343 MW in 1966-67. Out of this, the state gets only 2,140.5 MW from its own generating stations, 937.50 MW from its share in the joint projects of BBMB and Indraprastha Thermal Station and 1,628 MW as share from central generation projects. In order to meet the shortfall, power is also being arranged through bilateral power purchase agreements from within and outside the region. Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, "By the end of the 11th Five Year Plan, the state is expected to have a demand of 11,155 MW with 15 per cent annual growth and annual energy demand of 57,000 million units. Keeping this in view, the state power sector plans to increase the availability of power from about 4,068 MW in 2005 to touch 9,671 MW by the end of 11th Five Year Plan and 14,285 MW up to 2012-13". The Haryana Power Generation massive plan to add 1950 MW power by constructing own power generation plants and contracted another 2,651 MW from other sources by 2011-12. Power shall be available under various power purchase agreement - 97.50 MW (2008-09); 655 MW (2009-10); 983MW (2010-11) and 2,651 MW (2011-12). By 2012-13, Haryana will be power surplus state. Against the demand of 12,828 MW the state would be able to produce a total capacity of 14,285 MW. Augmenting T&D network An elaborate work plan has been chalked out by Haryana power utilities to augment and strengthen the transmission and distribution network in the state. Capital investment of Rs 824.02 crore was made during 2005-06 to improve generation and strengthen the transmission and distribution system. A budget of Rs 869 crore was allocated for the year 2008-09 and Rs 1,399 crore has been set for the current financial year. For the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12), an outlay of Rs 4,687 crore has been approved to strengthen the power sector. For meeting the 11th plan generation capacity, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has projected a peak demand of 9293 MW in 2011-12, whereas the State's own projection is about 11,155 MW. The state plans to bridge the gap between demand and supply, will bring self sufficiency in power. ? BIG EFFORTS BY CENTRAL & PRIVATE Central projects Haryana has given consent for obtaining power from the projects being set up in the Central sector and also signed a power purchase agreement with the provision that it is willing to offtake power over and above its anticipated share as per the Gadgil formula in case some spare capacity is available from share of other states/ unallocated quota. The state has taken up with the Union Government a proposal for setting up a nuclear power plant of 2,800 MW (4 x 700 MW) in Kumharia of Fatehabad district. Private sector projects ? 370 MW of power' arranged from independent power producers from projects at Amarkantak (Chhattisgarh) and Budhil (Himachal Pradesh). ? Procurement of 1,450 MW power from four ultra mega power projects being set up at Sasan, Mundra, Orissa and Jharkhand. ? 2x660 MW coal-based thermal power plant is being set up in Jhajjar district by CLP Power India Pvt. Ltd. By 2012-13, Haryana will be power surplus state. Against the demand of 12,828 MW the state would be able to produce a total capacity of 14,285 MW. -Power Minister Mr. Randeep Surjewala INITIATIVES TO HELP CONSUMERS The government has waived electricity bills worth Rs 1,600-crore for rural, domestic and tubewell category consumers. A rebate of 10 paise per unit is given in case the domestic power connection is in the name of a women. With a view to facilitate the consumers, computerized cash payment system was installed at 183 payment centres at sub-division level. Also, Rs 242 crore has been earmarked under the "Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojna" to strengthen the infrastructure of electricity in villages. Haryana is also the first state in the country to replace conventional bulbs and tube lights in all government offices with CFLs (compact fluorescent lamp). PROJECTS GALORE Project completed ? 600 MW, Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant, Yamuna Nagar. 600 MW (2x300) power plant has already been commissioned at 'Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant' at Yamuna Nagar and giving satisfactory results. This is constructed by Reliance Energy Ltd. Its first unit had started generating 300 MW from 14th April and second unit of another 300 MW from 24th June, 2008. These units are daily producing 144 Lakh unit to meet the stortfalls. Projects under construction ? 1200 MW Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Project (RGTPP), Khedar, Hisar. The construction work of two units of 600 MW capacity each at 'Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Project' is in full swing at Kheder (Hisar). Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone of this project on 19 May, 2007. The total estimated cost of the project is Rs.4297 crores. Almost 78 percent work has been completed and its first unit of 600 MW is scheduled for commissioning in December 2009 and second unit in March 2010. ? 1,500 MW 'Indira Gandhi Thermal Project at Jhajjar HPGCL is also coordinating the activities of 1,500 MW 'Indira Gandhi Thermal Project at Jhajjar which is being developed as a joint venture among NTPC and Haryana and Delhi government. In October 2007, UPA Chief Mrs. Sonia Gandhi laid the foundation stone of this project. It is being constructin with a total estimated cost of around 7,892 crores. Its first two units are scheduled for commissioning in July and September 2010 and third unit in January 2011. ? 1,320 MW, Mahatma Gandhi Thermal Power Project at Khanpur Khurd at Jhajjar The corporation is also coordinating and monitoring the execution of 1,320 MW coal based 'Mahatma Gandhi Thermal Power Project' which is being developed M/s CLP Power India Limited at Jhajjar. Its foundation stone was laid on 10 January 2009 and construction work is in full swing. Its first unit is scheduled for commissioning in December 2011 and second unit in May 2012.