Peoples' Power

Peoples' Power Campaign (PPC) has been initiated to exert regulatory pressure on power companies to invest in renewable and more efficient energy production and distribution processes. This will be planned through effective participation by the consumers (Residence Welfare Associations and Small Scale Industries Associations) and the utilities (business houses like North Delhi Power Limited) in showcasing voluntary demand side energy efficiency implementation programme and advocating for a mandatory regulation at State and Union regulatory commissions (like Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission and Central Electricity Regulatory Commission). This will promote sustainable energy practices in Indian power sector through promotion of energy efficiency by Demand Side Management (DSM).

In last one year of activities of the campaign (PPC), WWF-India have gained success in developing the Peoples’ Power Network (PPN) among a wide range of stakeholders [i.e. consumers, civil society organizations, technical institutions etc.] The network along with its partners was effectively involved in public interest technical petition to the electricity regulators (DERC) for preventing an unjustified upward revision of tariff without taking enough efficiency improvement measures, and this effort received commendable success. The proposed initiative has been built on last year’s success story to carry forward the network (PPN) as a major interest group for efficiency and cost minimization in Indian power production and distribution system.

The campaign aims at cleaning up the Power sector with public support. The Campaign will address the demand and supply shortfall by approaching the problem from the more manageable Demand side during the two year timeline for the Project. The Project will be implemented in the State of Delhi, which occupies an important position in the Nation’s affairs as it has the distinction of being home to both the National Parliament as well as the State Parliament.

India faces several challenges in the Energy Sector and through this campaign we will try to address some of them. Mainly a lack of transparency and accountability in decision making within the Power Sector leads to low levels of Stakeholder participation. In addition to this there is a high level of inefficiency (technical as well as governance related) in the current system leading to heavy losses for the sector. Also improper planning for resource utilization (fuel mix) leads to a carbon intensive and unsustainable power generation and distribution system. Further there is a serious lack of awareness and low financial capacity is affecting the energy sectors’ capability towards systematically addressing issues like sustainable energy planning and global warming.

The overall purpose of the Peoples’ Power Campaign will be to promote effective participation of the Consumers and businesses in the decision making process of the power sector; so as to promote sustainable energy practices by businesses involved in power generation and distribution in India.