In May 2002, the-then Delhi Vidyut Board (DVB) was privatised.  After two failures, for a third time, the discoms (distribution companies) in Odisha are being privatised, starting with Tata Power taking over the Central Electricity Supply Undertaking (CESU) from October 2020.

In both these privatisation exercises, 51% of the shares were sold, with government retaining a 49% stake.

Unlike these examples of privatisation, the Indian government’s power ministry has come up with a Standard Bidding Document (SBD) that envisages making privatisation an irreversible process. The main terms of sale proposed are:

Employees of the existing distribution licensee shall be transferred to the successor entity.