Union Minister of Power Shri Manohar Lal today inaugurated the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Regulatory Affairs in the Power Sector at IIT Delhi, marking a significant step towards strengthening India’s regulatory capacity amid rapid transformation in the power sector.
Centre has been jointly established by IIT Delhi, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), and Grid Controller of India Ltd. (Grid India). It is envisaged as a national-level hub for regulatory research, capacity building, advisory support and knowledge dissemination, addressing the evolving challenges of rising electricity demand, large-scale renewable energy integration, expanding power markets and increasing digitalisation.
By situating the Centre within a premier academic institution and anchoring it through close collaboration between the national regulator and system operator, the initiative brings together policy, regulation, system operations and academic research under a single institutional framework.
In his inaugural address, Shri Manohar Lal said that as India advances towards clean energy, competitive markets and consumer-centric reforms, strong regulation backed by rigorous research and knowledge becomes essential. He noted that the Centre of Excellence at IIT Delhi will play a key role in enabling informed, forward-looking and evidence-based regulation in the power sector.
The CoE will work closely with CERC and Grid India to identify key regulatory and sectoral challenges, support human resource development, strengthen institutional capabilities, and promote effective knowledge management. It will undertake cutting-edge research with access to global academic and policy networks, while also providing advisory and consultancy support to regulators and other power sector stakeholders.
Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi, said the Institute is pleased to partner with CERC and Grid India to create new knowledge and analysis that will help make India’s electricity sector sustainable, affordable and future-ready, while also enhancing the capacity of regulatory institutions and power sector professionals.
Shri Jishnu Barua, Chairman, CERC, emphasised that good regulation must be supported by sound analysis, data and long-term thinking, and said the Centre will strengthen evidence-based policymaking in the power sector. Shri S. C. Saxena, Chairman and Managing Director, Grid Controller of India Ltd., highlighted that aligning regulatory frameworks with ground realities of grid operations is essential, and noted that operational insights will directly inform regulatory research through the Centre.
Power Secretary Shri Pankaj Agarwal also complimented IIT Delhi, CERC and Grid India for setting up the Centre, stating that it will play a crucial role in the development of India’s power sector.
The CoE will focus on multidisciplinary research covering power sector regulations, market design, grid operations, energy transition and decarbonisation pathways, digitalisation, and emerging technologies such as energy storage, demand response and green hydrogen. Through structured training programmes and advanced analytical tools, it aims to strengthen long-term regulatory capacity and support policy and regulatory decision-making at a critical juncture in India’s energy transition.
