Haryana Achieves 'A' Grade in National Power Regulatory Rankings
Haryana has secured an 'A' grade with 88.5 out of 100 marks in the inaugural national regulatory performance rankings released by the Power Foundation of India in collaboration with REC Limited. The state has been ranked eighth nationally, placing it among top-performing states in the 'A' category, which includes Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh.
Key Drivers of Haryana's Strong Performance
Officials stated that Haryana's impressive performance was largely driven by improvements in power supply reliability. The state scored a perfect 32 out of 32 in resource adequacy, reflecting robust long-term planning, notified regulations, and clearly defined reserve margins for power procurement. Approval of three-year capital expenditure plans for the state transmission utility and distribution companies, along with penalty provisions for delays, significantly contributed to this high score.
An official remarked, "This score represents a marked improvement from earlier years when reliability and planning standards were areas of concern."
Excellence in Regulatory Governance and Financial Performance
Haryana also received full marks in regulatory governance, securing five out of five. Transparent procedures for appointments and structured classification of posts into groups A, B, C, and D strengthened administrative and institutional functioning.
The financial performance of the state's distribution companies showed notable improvement, with Haryana scoring 23.5 out of 25 in this category. This was supported by the timely issuance of tariff orders for 2025–26 and the timely completion of the truing-up process for 2023–24. Officials noted that no regulatory assets were created during the latest truing-up cycle. The introduction of a mechanism to adjust surcharges for monthly fuel and power purchase costs helped manage costs and reduce financial pressure.
Ease of Doing Business and Energy Transition Initiatives
In the ease of doing business category, Haryana scored 16 out of 23. The state fixed timelines for new electricity connections—three days in metro areas, seven days in municipal zones, and 15 days in rural areas—with compensation for delays. Processes for meter testing, replacement, and net metering were also streamlined. An official commented, "These reforms reflect improvements over past years when consumer service timelines were less consistent."
Haryana scored 12 out of 15 in the energy transition segment. Measures included implementation of Green Energy Open Access, exemptions from certain surcharges for green hydrogen, green ammonia, and waste-to-energy projects, and approval of a renewable purchase obligation trajectory up to 2029–30, along with penalties for non-compliance.
Leadership and Future Goals
Chairman of Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission, Nand Lal Sharma, stated that the 'A' grade reflected coordinated efforts by the state government, the regulator, and power utilities. He emphasized that the performance demonstrated progress in transparent regulation, financial discipline, and consumer-focused reforms.
Sharma added that the commission would continue working to strengthen distribution company finances, promote renewable energy, and enhance ease of doing business in the sector. He highlighted the focus on ensuring affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity while building a transparent and accountable power system.
