For power utilities, the demand-side impact of pandemic-related restrictions was short-lived, but their financial health -- which was already under stress across a number of states -- has certainly worsened. Despite the liquidity infusion relief made available to distribution companies through Power Finance Corporation and REC, the aggregate power procurement payment dues to power generating companies continue to exceed Rs 1 lakh crore.

Since the last Budget, there has been significant progress on the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), which has an outlay of Rs. 3.03 lakh crore and is expected to be pivotal in achieving efficiency improvements and a financial turnaround of state-owned distribution companies. A large number of state utilities are close to finalising their action plans, a primary requirement under the RDSS scheme. The benefits of smart metering, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), IT and infrastructure works, and reform measures being committed in the RDSS action plans will begin to show results from 2022-23, in the form of reduced aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses, improved financial viability of utilities, and improvements in the quality and reliability of supply.

The need for more radical structural reforms such as privatising of distribution companies, and making state electricity regulatory commissions (SERCs) more independent and accountable are being re-emphasised over time. A clear push for increased investor ownership of distribution utilities is essential to lock in the benefits realised through financial restructuring of utilities being undertaken on the back of RDSS. The recent distribution company transactions in Odisha and the ongoing privatisation of distribution utilities in Union Territories are expected to create more recent and vibrant success stories, which will encourage states to undertake similar measures in the near future.

Given the thrust to propagating smart metering on a service model through the appointment of AMI service providers (AMISP), it seems to be an opportune time to consider a suitable roadmap to ultimately carving out metering services as a separate industry layer. This would attract more competent and capable players to bid for upcoming AMISP bids. The advent of independent metering service providers will also act as an enabler for effective implementation of retail supply competition or de-licensing, as in the UK.