Power generation industry in the country is over a century old. Merely twenty years after the first commercial launch of the light bulb and just fifteen years after the first country in the world, United States of America started generating power in New York, India's Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (now CESC Ltd) pioneered the generation of electricity in the country. In 1899, it commenced power generation and distribution in Kolkata.
Today, with a population of 1.4 billion, around one sixth of the world lives in India. Basic infrastructure facilities are the determinants of the quality of life of this vast community. Not only does infrastructure impact their living conditions, it also determines their earning capacity and economic opportunity. It is in this context the power sector has been viewed as a bottleneck for the inclusive growth of India. Adequate and quality power has not been available all across its vast geography. Where available, it is not consistently assured.
Young in existence, having been formed in April 2010, APP however has a rich history of solid achievements in just a short period of time. Ever since its inception, the Association has effectively taken up with the concerned government agencies a range of issues relating to power sector such as: fuel - indigenous and imported; environment - impacting mines clearance and development; financing - taxes and levies that have a bearing on the sector and so forth. The Association provides crucial industry inputs to agencies concerned with the development of the power sector in India.
Some of the key issues which APP has brought up consistently in its representations to various Ministries and other government agencies are highlighted below:
- Domestic Coal Shortage (Linkage) and pricing impact of imported/blended coal
- Delays in Captive Coal Production
- Policy Framework for new Coal Block Allocation for Power Sector
- Inadequate Supply of Gas to Power Sector
- Infrastructure Augmentation for Coal Imports
- Macroeconomic Risks arising out of adverse interest rate and exchange rate movements
- Financing Issues
- Deemed Export Benefits
- Land Acquisition
- Stability of Policy and Sanctity of Government Decisions
- Environment and Forest Clearances
- Transmission Constraints
- Incentives for Hydro Projects
- Review of Standard Bidding Documents
- Precarious Financial Condition of Distribution Utilities
APP believes that the above challenges can be met through a coherent approach, which develops all available energy resources. Affordable and uninterrupted power to all is the need of the hour and APP sees in its role a crucial responsibility to partner with the Government to achieve the national priority of "Power to All".
