Centre for Energy Regulation
Department of Management Sciences (DoMS) Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
The Electricity Regulatory Commission Act of 1998 established the WBERC as a statutory body (14 of 1998). The current Commission, which operates under the provisions of the Electricity Act of 2003, is the same one that was established under the Electricity Regulatory Commission Act of 1998, with clearly defined authorities and functions.
Legal Framework of WBERC:
Functions of the Commission under section 86 of the Electricity Act, 2003
(a) determine the tariff for generation, supply, transmission and wheeling of electricity, wholesale,bulk or retail, as the case may be, within the State: Provided that where open access has been permitted to a category of consumers under section 42, the State commission shall determine only the wheeling charges and surcharge thereon, if any, for the said category of consumers:
(b) regulate electricity purchase and procurement process of distribution licensees including the price at which electricity shall be procured from the generating companies or licensees or from other sources through agreements to purchase of power for distribution and supply within the State;
(c) facilitate intra-State transmission and wheeling of electricity;
(d) issue licences to persons seeking to act as transmission licensees, distribution licensees and electricity traders with respect to their operations within the State;
(e) promote cogeneration and generation of electricity from renewable sources of energy by providing suitable measures for connectivity with the grid and sale of electricity to any person, and also specify, for purchase of electricity from such sources, a percentage of the total consumption of electricity in the area of distribution licensee;
(f) adjudicate upon the disputes between the licensees and generating companies and to refer any dispute for arbitration;
(g) levy fee for the purposes of this Act;
(h) specify State Grid Code consistent with the Grid Code specified under clause (h) of sub-section (1) of section 79;
(i) specify or enforce standards with respect to quality, continuity and reliability of service by licensees;
(j) fix the trading margin in the intra-State trading of electricity, if considered, necessary; and
(k) discharge such other functions as may be assigned to it under this Act.
(i) promotion of competition, efficiency and economy in activities of the electricity industry;
(ii) promotion of investment in electricity industry;
(iii) reorganization and restructuring of electricity industry in the State;
(iv) matters concerning generation, transmission, distribution and trading of electricity or any other matter referred to the State Commission by that Government.
| State | Ownership | Technology wise breakup (MW) | Grand Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thermal | Nuclear | Renewable | ||||||||
| Coal | Lignite | Gas | Diesel | Total | Hydro | RES(MNRE) | ||||
| West Bengal | ||||||||||
| State | 4810.00 | 0.00 | 80.00 | 0.00 | 4890.00 | 0.00 | 986.00 | 121.95 | 5997.95 | |
| Private | 2437.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2437.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 518.98 | 2955.98 | |
| Central | 1436.34 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1436.34 | 0.00 | 410.00 | 0 | 1846.34 | |
| Sub-Total | 8683.34 | 0.00 | 80.00 | 0.00 | 8763.34 | 0.00 | 1396.00 | 640.93 | 10800.27 | |
Link- https://cea.nic.in/wp-content/uploads/executive/2024/02/Executive_Summary_Feb_2024.pdf
| Name of Utility/Power Station | UTILITY | Ownership Type | Energy Source | Installed Capacity (MW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durgapur Projects Limited | DPL | State | Thermal-Coal | 550 |
| West Bengal PDCL | State | Thermal-Coal | 1050 | |
| Kolaghat Thermal Power Station | West Bengal PDCL | State | Thermal-Coal | 1260 |
| Bandel Thermal Power Station | West Bengal PDCL | State | Thermal-Coal | 335 |
| Santhaldih Thermal Power Station | West Bengal PDCL | State | Thermal-Coal | 500 |
| Santhaldih Thermal Power Project | West Bengal PDCL | State | Thermal-Coal | 1600 |
| Jaldhaka HEP | West Bengal SEDCL | State | Hydro | 44 |
| Ramam HEP | West Bengal SEDCL | State | Hydro | 51 |
| Teesta Canal Falls | West Bengal SEDCL | State | Hydro | 68 |
| Purulia Pumped Storage Project | West Bengal SEDCL | State | Hydro | 900 |
| Mini Micro | West Bengal SEDCL | State | Hydro | 13 |
| Durgapur Steel TPS | DVC | Central | Thermal-Coal | 1000 |
| Durgapur TPS | DVC | Central | Thermal-Coal | 210 |
| Raghunathpur TPS | DVC | Central | Thermal-Coal | 1200 |
| Maithon Hydel STA | DVC | Central | Hydro | 63 |
| TLDP - III | NHPC Ltd. | Central | Hydro | 132 |
| TLDP - IV | NHPC Ltd. | Central | Hydro | 160 |
| Farakka Stps I & II | NHPC Ltd. | Central | Thermal-Coal | 1600 |
| Farakka STPS III | NHPC Ltd. | Central | Thermal-Coal | 500 |
| Budge Budge | CESC Ltd. | Central | Thermal-Coal | 750 |
| Southern Generating Station | CESC Ltd. | Central | Thermal-Coal | 135 |
| Haldia Energy | Haldia Energy Ltd. | Central | Thermal-Coal | 600 |
| Dishergarh Power Station | India Power Corporation Ltd. | Central | Thermal-Coal | 12 |
| Bakreshwar Thermal Power Plant | West Bengal PDCL | State | Thermal-Coal | 1050 |
Link- https://cea.nic.in/wp-content/uploads/executive/2024/02/Executive_Summary_Feb_2024.pdf
| Sr. No. | Consumer Category | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Labour Line | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| 2 | Life Line | 848.00 | 990.00 | 1155.00 |
| 3 | LT domestic | 14674.35 | 15395.81 | 16182.00 |
| 4 | LT Commercial | 3413.57 | 3569.57 | 3732.57 |
| 5 | LT Commercial(50 KVAand above) | 225.00 | 242.00 | 260.00 |
| 6 | LT Industrial | 1129.16 | 1163.01 | 197.89 |
| 7 | Cold Storage | 35.00 | 40.00 | 45.00 |
| 8 | LT Industrial (50 KVA and above) | 519.00 | 550.00 | 583.00 |
| 9 | LT Agriculture | 1231.96 | 1226.96 | 1221.96 |
| 10 | LT Public Water Works | 355.05 | 401.07 | 453.09 |
| 11 | LT public Bodies | 33.50 | 33.50 | 33.50 |
| 12 | Govt. School | 12.00 | 12.00 | 12.00 |
| 13 | Public Lighting | 636.00 | 708.00 | 789.00 |
| 14 | LT Domestic (50 KVA and above) | 7.00 | 7.00 | 7.00 |
| 15 | LT Others (50 KVA and above) | 98.00 | 103.00 | 108.00 |
| 15 | LT Others (50 KVA and above) | 98.00 | 103.00 | 108.00 |
| 16 | EV Charging | 1.00 | 1.50 | 2.00 |
| 17 | MES (50 KVA and above) | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Total LT | 23192.59 | 24444.42 | 25783.52 |
| Sr. No. | Consumer Category | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HT Domestic | 33.24 | 33.51 | 33.78 |
| 2 | HT Commercial | 904.31 | 943.31 | 983.31 |
| 3 | HT Industrial | 9773.00 | 10212.00 | 10671.00 |
| 4 | Traction | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 5 | HT Public Utility | 236.77 | 241.77 | 247.77 |
| 6 | HT Public Water Works | 384.51 | 408.04 | 433.58 |
| 7 | HT Community Irrigation | 0.71 | 0.71 | 0.71 |
| 8 | Cold Staorage & Dairy | 448.00 | 448.00 | 448.00 |
| 9 | Sports Complex & Auditorium | 3.55 | 3.55 | 3.55 |
| 10 | Construction | 11.27 | 11.27 | 11.27 |
| 11 | Private Educational | 32.20 | 36.20 | 41.20 |
| 12 | Commercial Plantation | 3.03 | 3.06 | 3.09 |
| 13 | Common Service fro Industrial State | 0.24 | 0.24 | 0.24 |
| 14 | Emergency Supply | 42.89 | 42.89 | 42.89 |
| 15 | MES | 118.00 | 118.00 | 118.00 |
| 16 | Metro | 24.00 | 35.00 | 50.00 |
| 17 | Interplant Transfer | 10.33 | 10.33 | 10.33 |
| Total HT | 12026.05 | 12547.88 | 13098.72 | |
| Overall Total Sale (A+B) | 35218.64 | 36992.30 | 38882.24 |
| Sr. No. | DISCOMs | Consumer Category | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IPCL | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2 | DPL | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 3 | CESS | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| States / UTs | Small Hydro | Wind | BM Cogen. (Bagasse) | BM Cogen. (Non- Bagasse) | Waste to Energy | Waste to Energy (Off-grid) | Ground-Mounted Solar | Rooftop Solar | Hybrid Solar | Off-grid Solar | Total Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Bengal | 99 | 0 | 300 | 43.52 | 4.48 | 114 | 67.13 | 0.00 | 13.14 | 636.02 |
| Sr. No. | DISCOMs | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WBSEDCL | 6.57 | 6.59 | 6.44 |
| 2 | IPCL | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 3 | DPL | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 4 | CESC | N/A | N/A | N/A |
