ELECTRICITY MARKETS IN INDIA

A BRIEF HISTORY
India's Electricity
Focus on the energy sector of India started in 1947 when India had finally received its independence from British colonialism with the Indian Independence Bill. The Indian Independence Bill had created the independent nations of India and Pakistan from the previous Mogul Empire and ended 200 years of British Rule in India.
Once India had become independent in 1947, the country had a power generating capacity of 1362 MW which was created by hydro and coal based thermal.
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Electric power was being carried out mostly by private utilities and this power was only available in a few urban centers.
Most villages and rural areas had no electricity once India became independent.
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One of the first things to occur to the electricity sector after independence was the Electricity Supply Act of 1948. This act created an intricate institutional frame work and financing norms for the performance of the electricity industry in the country. The act devised State Electricity Boards (SEBs) for the planning and implementing of power development programs in different states. The Central Electricity Authority was also developed under this act for the power planning at the national level. Private licenses to distribute or generate electricity were also allowed by the concerned state government or SEB.

PROGRESS
The next large steps taken by India in their electricity sector was in the 1970s, their goal was to get involved on a large scale in generation and bulk transmission of power to supplement efforts at the state level.