Draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 Intends to Remove Wasteful Duplication in Building Distribution Network

• Draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 proposes to amend the Electricity Act, 2003 to permit a distribution licensee (discom) to supply power using another discom's existing network on payment of SERC-determined charges, eliminating duplicate poles, wires and substations.
• Released by the Ministry of Power for public consultation; addresses long-standing structural barrier to genuine retail competition in the distribution segment.
• Aspirant relevance: federalism (Concurrent List Entry 38), power-sector reforms, regulatory commissions, cross-subsidy debate, and renewable-energy obligations.