Haryana Electricity Crisis Erupts Over Private Distribution Licence Approval

Business Standard · business

Haryana's Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has clashed with the state's electricity regulator, HERC, after it granted Eleven Power Private Limited a 25-year licence to distribute electricity in Gurugram and Nuh. This decision, allowing parallel distribution alongside the state utility DHBVNL, triggered a strike by electricity employees. The government subsequently invoked Section 108 of the Electricity Act, 2003, to halt parallel distribution licences statewide. HERC approved the licence despite state objections, citing a significant backlog of over 2,400 MW in new electricity connection applications.