Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s call for reducing power losses and enhancing generation at the recent Engineers’ Day gathering is both timely and urgent. Jammu and Kashmir’s energy sector is trapped in a vicious cycle of inefficiency, theft and dependency. Despite possessing one of the highest hydropower potentials in the country-over 20,000 MW-J&K remains a net importer of electricity, incurring massive financial burdens year after year. The problem, however, is not just about untapped potential; it is about systemic neglect and unwillingness to reform at the ground level. The figures speak for themselves. AT&C losses in J&K hover far above the national average, a reality that no Government has been able to change despite repeated promises. The losses are not just technical in nature but institutional and behavioural. Outdated distribution infrastructure, rampant theft, poor billing efficiency, and a notorious lineman-consumer nexus combine to create a revenue drain that keeps the sector perpetually crippled. While the Government talks of reforms, the implementation on the ground remains cosmetic.
The issue of household loads is a classic example of neglect. Across Jammu and Kashmir, consumers are drawing far more electricity than their sanctioned load in summers as well as winters, when high-powered appliances are in wide use. With meters absent and flat rates against minuscule registered loads, this has become a perfect way of official power theft. Yet, the Power Distribution Corporations have failed to conduct any systematic revision of connected loads. Instead of addressing the root cause, the department indulges in firefighting-replacing burnt transformers.
Smart metering, projected as the silver bullet against power theft, has become a story of inefficiency. The pace at which meters are being installed is so slow that it could take another decade before universal coverage is achieved. Worse, even in areas where smart meters are operational, theft continues unabated-enabled by a nexus between consumers and ground-level staff. Moreover, metering is repeated in the same neighbourhoods while large pockets remain uncovered. The outcome is predictable: dismal revenue collection and continued losses.
Against this backdrop, the CM’s clear message is that the “days of charity are over.” He has rightly emphasised that the onus now lies with the corporations carved out of the erstwhile PDD. A corporation cannot survive on accumulated losses indefinitely, nor can the Government endlessly rely on subsidies from the Centre to keep lights on in J&K. Without accountability and tough decision-making, this cycle of inefficiency will continue to punish genuine consumers who are willing to pay but still face outages in peak summers and winters.
On the generation side, the story is equally disheartening. Hydro projects like Sawalkote, New Ganderbal and Lower Kalnai have been stuck for years due to legal, financial, and administrative hurdles. The UT Government lacks resources to push mega projects on its own, while even private-sector participation-like through the Jhelum Valley Power Projects-has failed to yield substantial results. The new Draft Power Policy 2025 seeks to break this deadlock by inviting private capital and promoting small hydro and solar projects. The idea of roping in other departments for decentralised generation is innovative and could yield results in the medium to long term. But this process will take time and J&K does not have the luxury of waiting.
The fundamental truth is simple: J&K cannot reform its energy sector without tackling distribution losses head-on. No amount of new generation capacity will save the system if half the power continues to be lost or stolen. The CM has shown the way out. But his words must translate into hard action. Load revision exercises, aggressive anti-theft drives, accountability for field staff, and time-bound smart metering implementation are immediate necessities. This never-ending cycle of buck-passing must end. Power reforms are not optional; they are an existential imperative. The Chief Minister is right: the key to J&K’s economic future lies in electricity-its generation and efficient distribution. But unless the system confronts the uncomfortable realities of theft, nexus, and inefficiency, even the most ambitious policies will remain paper promises.
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