Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo chaired a high-level review meeting at the Energy Department in Kharvela Bhawan to strategize on structural policy changes, grid readiness for upcoming cultural events, and critical fuel security projects.
The discussion, held alongside Additional Chief Secretary of the Energy Department Shri Vishal Kumar Dev, focused primarily on accelerating the state’s clean energy transition and securing stable power distribution infrastructure.
A central agenda item was the formulation of strategic amendments to the Pumped Storage Projects Policy 2025 and the Odisha Renewable Energy Policy. These updates aim to create a more robust operational framework to support Odisha’s target of developing substantial renewable capacity and grid balancing infrastructure.
The planned revisions seek to streamline project sites allocation and accelerate private capital flow into the state’s energy storage systems, which are vital for integrating intermittent green energy into the state transmission grid.
The state leadership also evaluated operational roadmaps for traditional energy assets, specifically focusing on expediting the operationalisation of the Tangardihi North Coal Block managed by the Odisha Coal and Power Limited. Ensuring the timely activation of this coal asset remains vital for the state’s baseline thermal power security while transition strategies scale up.
With the upcoming Puri Rath Jatra festival, the department finalized comprehensive safety and network augmentation measures. Instructions were issued to power distribution companies to deploy field personnel, perform extensive preventative maintenance, and secure overhead lines to maintain an uninterrupted, safe electricity supply for the massive influx of devotees.
The strategy session concluded with a collaborative review involving senior administrators, representatives from Odisha Coal and Power Limited, Grid Corporation of Odisha, the regional distribution companies, and top state engineering officials to synchronize multi-sectoral execution.