Walia returns from visit to Nordic countries

New Delhi, May 27 (UNI) Delhi Power Minister A K Walia has returned to the city after his visit to Sweden and Norway, where he had gone to evaluate the retail supply business in the deregulated power market in Nordic countries -- Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway.

Speaking to mediapersons here, Dr Walia said the purpose of his visit was to enhance an understanding of retail supply business in a deregulated power market and to transfer Nordic power market experiences to the team of his delegation.

This would contribute in a successful introduction of retail supply competition within Delhi to enable retail consumers to take advantage of competitive forces which otherwise exhibit typical characteristics of monopoly, he said.

He also said this would allow retail consumers to choose their own supplier instead of depending only upon their area distribution company.

The city government would also explore possibilities of joining the INPIC-II project initiated by the Union Ministry of Power in cooperation with the Royal Embassy of Norway for introduction of retail competition in India.

Dr Walia was accompanied by Deputy Secretary (Power) Harish K Ahuja and General Manager, Delhi Transco Ltd A K Kaul, during his foreign visit, where he met the Deputy Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Government of Norway, senior officials of Ministry of Energy and Communication in the Government of Sweden, senior executives of transmission and distribution companies of Norway and Sweden and experts of renewable energy and energy conservation.

He visited physical spots of power and financial markets of the four Nordic countries in Oslo.

Dr Walia said a sustained and committed efforts of 20 years of Government and key players of these countries has taken them to this stage of retail supply competition whereas Delhi has introduced its reform process only in year 2002 (six years back).

The evaluation of the entire policy process, steps and regulations adopted by Nordic countries was being done in consultation with SLDC and the regulator so that retail supply competition in Delhi can be introduced at the earliest.

Further, Delhi power sector, at this stage, can also very well adopt and practice some of the key features of retail supply business of Norway and Sweden before opening all consumers to competition. These aspects are being examined and would be worked upon for benefit of small electricity consumers.

UNI AR Mir CS1844