In Short : Designing an effective strategic stockpiling system for critical minerals involves securing reliable supplies, managing geopolitical risks, and ensuring long-term industrial resilience. A well-structured framework balances national security, economic stability, and sustainability by integrating policy coordination, diversified sourcing, transparent governance, and dynamic inventory management to protect against supply disruptions and market volatility.

In Detail : 2025 was the year when the risks of highly concentrated critical minerals supply chains materialised at scale

The IEA has long warned of the potential security risks associated with the high concentration of critical mineral supply chains. In 2025, these risks became a reality, marking a major turning point for global economic security. The rare earths export controls announced by China in October 2025 posed major national and economic security risks across the world, with potentially severe impacts for a range of strategic sectors including energy, automotive, defence, aerospace, AI and semiconductors. Earlier export controls introduced in April had already resulted in some automotive factories around the world being forced to cut utilisation rates or even temporarily shut down.

Beyond rare earths, export controls have also been imposed on a range of strategic minerals including gallium, germanium, graphite and tungsten, which play a crucial role in strategic applications such as semiconductors, batteries, aerospace and defence. The Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2025 highlighted that China is the leading refiner for 19 out of the 20 strategic minerals closely tracked by the IEA, with an average market share of around 70%. Moreover, over half of these minerals are already subject to some form of export controls. These developments underscore that concentration risks in mineral supply chains are no longer a theoretical concern but pose tangible and growing threats to countries’ economic and national security. Moreover, IEA analysis underlines that the market share of the largest suppliers of key critical minerals, particularly for refining, has been increasing in recent years.

Stepping up global action on critical minerals security has never been more urgent. A clear priority is to develop diversified sources of supply for key critical minerals. However, inevitably, it takes time to develop new projects in both mining and refining. Strategic stockpiling of critical minerals can serve as an important protective measure to safeguard countries from supply shocks and disruptions while they develop new, diversified sources of supply. Strategic stockpiles provide a way for countries to strengthen economic and national security, while also helping to deter future export controls and limiting their impact.

Strategic stocks are an insurance policy against short-term disruptions

Strategic stocks – held specifically for emergency purposes with the involvement of the government – have demonstrated effectiveness across various sectors. A notable example is the oil market, where stockpiles have played an important role in mitigating severe economic impacts for decades. After the oil shock of 1973, IEA member governments established a mechanism to build up and pool emergency oil stocks to protect them from being held to ransom via oil supplies in the future. Since then, the IEA has coordinated five collective responses to major oil supply disruptions, helping to limit the economic impacts of shocks caused by natural disasters or geopolitical strife, most recently in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Critical mineral markets operate in a very different context from oil markets. The diversity of critical minerals, each with distinct market contexts, means that stockpiling is not a catch-all solution and its suitability can vary by mineral. It is also not a substitute for efforts to develop diversified supply sources that deliver fundamental security benefits. However, stockpiles can still play an important role in providing emergency supply and protecting industries and jobs. Strategic mineral stockpiles also bring several additional benefits. Even when they are not used, they send a signal to markets that sudden supply shocks or export restrictions need not immediately cripple the system. Some IEA Member countries such as Japan, Korea, and the United States hold strategic stockpiles of critical minerals that have protected industries from supply disruptions.

The build-up of critical minerals stockpiles and the need for stock rotation can also support diversification efforts by sourcing materials from projects outside the dominant suppliers, while also enhancing market transparency by providing governments with insights into pricing.

Strategic stockpiles should primarily serve to ensure business continuity and provide a buffer during supply disruptions, rather than to manage price volatility or influence market dynamics. Clear and transparent principles for stockpile releases, focused on addressing acute and short-term supply interruptions, can help prevent market distortion and maintain healthy investment signals that drive market development.

Designing effective stockpiling systems involves addressing a range of strategic questions including material form, governance model, costs, and financing

Amid mounting risks to mineral supply chains, many countries are showing growing interest in establishing stockpiling systems for critical minerals. In doing so, they need to address a range of strategic questions, including the choice of materials to stockpile, governance models, associated costs and financing mechanisms. Critical minerals vary widely in their physical forms, end-use sectors, market sizes, levels of pricing transparency, warehousing needs, and supply chain complexity. Each material therefore needs to be analysed individually, with stockpiling governance models tailored to its specific characteristics.

As part of the Critical Minerals Security Programme, the IEA has examined these issues in detail and developed a comprehensive database and model covering over 30 forms of strategic minerals that are used in the energy sector and have critical applications in AI, advanced technology, aerospace, and defence. This work involved developing an assessment framework to evaluate the supply and strategic risks for each material across multiple dimensions, exploring potential governance models, understanding warehousing requirements posed by the diverse forms that minerals take along their value chains, building cost models to estimate the expenses associated with stockpiling and examining possible financing mechanisms.

The IEA Critical Minerals Stockpiling Assessment Framework evaluates risks and warehousing needs

To determine which materials should be prioritised for stockpiling, the IEA Critical Minerals Stockpiling Assessment Framework was developed to analyse risks and challenges for each material across multiple dimensions: supply risk, the availability of alternative supply routes, strategic importance and the feasibility of stockpiling.

When evaluating supply risks, the level of supply concentration in both mining and refining is a key factor, as relying on few dominant suppliers means that any disruption can immediately flip markets into shortfall. For gallium, graphite, manganese and rare earths, the top refiner, China, accounts for over 90% of global supply. High price volatility further complicates the development of new supply: for example, lithium, vanadium, rare earths and cobalt have exhibited much higher volatility than oil and gas. Many high-risk minerals are already affected by some form of export restrictions, such as rare earths, gallium, and tungsten, straining their supply chain. These restrictions highlight the supply risks but also indicate the procurement challenges of building strategic stocks for these materials.

The availability of alternative supply routes is another important consideration. For some materials, there are limited options for substitute materials, such as chromium for stainless steel, titanium for alloys requiring a high strength-to-weight ratio, and germanium for high-performance fibre optics, heightening the risks from supply disruptions. Additionally, many materials are produced as co- or by-products alongside other minerals, making their supply less responsive to demand or price signals. For example, gallium is mainly recovered as a by-product of zinc and aluminium production, tellurium from copper and lead, and germanium from zinc and coal.

The strategic importance of each material depends on the sectors in which it is used. When materials have applications in strategic sectors such as semiconductors or defence, their security of supply becomes a crucial factor for economic and national security. While strategic importance can be assessed at the global level, each country should also consider domestic vulnerabilities and dependencies to assess potential impacts on its overall security and resilience.

The feasibility of stockpiling varies by material as each mineral takes different forms along its supply chain. The form most suitable for stockpiling is generally the imported form – most exposed to disruption risks – that can be directly used domestically in case of a disruption, without the need for further processing abroad. A broad assessment of the properties of strategic materials that are imported by IEA Member countries highlights a number of warehousing challenges for certain critical minerals such as hygroscopicity (sensitivity to humidity), reactivity, hazardousness and fragility. For example, lithium hydroxide is highly sensitive to humidity and degrades quickly in air, reducing its shelf life to around six months, while lithium carbonate can be stored for much longer. Gallium has a melting point of around 30°C. These warehousing challenges can be overcome, for example through controlling temperature and humidity of warehouses, using advanced packaging to minimise contact with air and moisture, and rotating stocks of materials with short shelf life. However, these additional requirements increase the cost and complexity of stockpiling.

Stockpiling governance models balance roles between government and industry

There is a spectrum of stockpiling governance models, with suitability varying by country and material. Governance models can be grouped into two broad categories based on where the minerals are physically stored: ‘government-held’ or ‘industry-held’, each with two main options. For government-held (centralised) stockpiling models, the government owns and manages the stockpile, either directly or through a public agency acting on its behalf. Industry-held (decentralised) models require companies to store strategic stocks in addition to their existing commercial inventories. For industry-held stockpiles, stocks may be industry-owned, where the government sets a mandate for a volume to be reserved for emergency use, or government-owned, where industry manages the stocks which are owned and purchased by the government. Companies that participate in these models may receive public support. Governments could also consider leveraging the expertise and assets of commodity traders to manage stockpiles more efficiently.

Most existing strategic critical mineral stockpiling systems are government-held and managed through public agencies. Japan’s mineral stockpiles are managed by its public agency; Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), Korea’s stockpiles are handled through the Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation (KOMIR) and the Public Procurement Service (PPS), and the United States’ National Defence Stockpile is managed by the Defence Logistics Agency (DLA). China also has major stockpiles of critical minerals, but unlike the others, utilises a combination of governance models with material stored and managed by both government and industry.

Operating costs underpin total stockpiling costs, with financing, warehousing, and discounting as the largest components

The costs of stockpiling are comprised of two primary components: the material purchase cost and the operating cost. The material purchase cost is the significantly larger upfront expense; however, this is a capital cost that is converted into an asset (the stockpile), and the capital is recuperated when stocks are released or during stock rotation (when selling the stock back to the market before reaching the end of their shelf life). The net costs of stockpiling are therefore determined by the operating costs. Stockpiling costs are sometimes misconstrued with an overemphasis on the material purchase cost, whereas operating costs form the actual costs borne over time. The operating cost components include financing, warehousing, discount, logistics, material loss and administrative costs. Financing costs refer to the cost of using debt or equity to purchase the material, warehousing refers to the cost of storing the material, and discount costs reflect the loss in market value when selling the stockpiled material to the market after a period of storage.

Our analysis indicates that financing, warehousing, and discount account for the largest share of total stockpiling operating costs, but there are major differences in the share of each component by material. Financing costs are the largest cost component for high-value, lower volume materials such as gallium and germanium, while warehousing costs become more significant for larger volume, lower-value materials such as synthetic graphite and nickel sulphate. Stricter warehousing requirements can triple warehousing costs per tonne compared with standard metals; however, financing costs remain dominant for many materials, even those with the strictest storage requirements such as lithium hydroxide and rare earth permanent magnets. Materials with shorter shelf lives incur more significant discount costs under government-held models due to more frequent stock rotation. Industry-held governance models reduce these discounts as companies use the stocks directly rather than needing to sell them back to the market.

Stockpiling critical minerals entails relatively modest costs compared with the potential economic impacts of supply disruptions

Analysis of stockpiling costs at the aggregate IEA level indicates that the total net cost of stockpiling most critical minerals is relatively modest, particularly for many high-priority strategic materials such as gallium and germanium, which often involve low volumes. According to our analysis, for all IEA countries to stockpile six months of their exposed imports of gallium metal from the top supplier, the total operating costs of stockpiling would be around USD 800 000. By comparison, costs of stockpiling the same months of exposed imports of rare earth permanent magnets would be almost USD 90 million. For material used in much larger volumes such as lithium hydroxide, the costs only grow to just under USD 300 million.

Government-owned governance models have lower financing costs while industry-led models have lower discount costs and greater efficiencies

The appropriate stockpiling governance model varies considerably by material and depending on domestic context and supply chain structures. Government-owned operating models with access to lower interest rates are most cost efficient for high-value materials, such as gallium or germanium. Lower-volume materials with fewer specifications such as upstream concentrates or midstream rare earth oxides may be more suitable for centralised government-led models, if there are domestic facilities able to process them. However, materials with a wide variety of company-specific specifications, such as graphite anode material or rare earth permanent magnets, or with short shelf lives, such as lithium hydroxide, are often better suited to industry-held governance models, where companies can store the specific materials, they need and undergo stock rotation more efficiently. Government-owned, industry-held governance models combine some of the advantages of both models: reduced financing costs, greater logistical efficiencies and reduced discount costs.

Beyond material characteristics and cost considerations, stockpiling can also support the development of diversified projects. Government-led stockpiling operating models are better suited to procuring material from specific strategic projects, providing offtakes that enhance project viability. In industry-led models, it is harder to control where material is purchased from, but the government could still have a role in aggregating demand. Ultimately, the most suitable stockpiling governance model depends strongly on national circumstances. A hybrid solution using a mixture of governance models for different materials may be optimal for many countries.

There are multiple ways to finance strategic stockpiling, which depend on the governance model and domestic circumstances

In the case of direct management of government-held stocks, purchase and operational costs are typically financed directly from the general budget or through a special purpose fund. In case the government chooses to use a public agency to manage the stocks, it can provide loan guarantee for the initial stock purchase and cover the agency’s operational costs. In an industry-held model, most of the costs are borne by companies, but governments could contribute through several instruments, such as direct loans or loan guarantees, public subsidies, tax breaks or direct equity investments. In the government-owned, industry-held hybrid model, the government would typically cover purchasing and financing costs, while operating costs could be shared through an agreement between government and industry.

The IEA Critical Minerals Security Programme is a key platform for international cooperation on critical minerals stockpiling

The urgency of today’s challenges facing critical mineral supply chains calls for strong international collaboration to achieve greater economic and national security, and stockpiling is a key tool that countries are considering implementing or expanding. While the objective of stockpiles is to strengthen security of domestic supply, coordination with international partners can be beneficial to achieve greater security more efficiently and faster. Coordination on the timing for stockpile purchases and principles for releases could help ensure markets are not distorted. When procuring stocks, countries could also agree to support strategic projects that would increase global diversification or consider aggregating demand. When compatible with domestic policies, countries could also consider to co-locate stocks for greater efficiencies, especially for low-volume materials, or reserve production in countries with production infrastructure to be dedicated to emergency use. Close dialogue among partners also helps transferring knowledge on efficient stockpile management.

The IEA Critical Minerals Security Programme is a key international platform helping countries to explore strategic questions around developing domestic stockpiling systems and opportunities to strengthen international coordination. The Programme will continue to support IEA Members in their efforts on reviewing strategic stockpiling as a tool to enhance preparedness to supply shocks.

Seven recommendations for developing domestic strategic stockpiles of critical minerals

When developing or expanding domestic strategic stockpiles of critical minerals, governments should consider:

1. Assessing value chains to identify bottlenecks and determine the material portfolio, prioritising those materials with the highest supply risks for a specific country or region.
2. Stockpiling the form of the material imported to a country or region to enable rapid deployment during disruptions.
3. Preparing for potential future disruptions by considering materials exposed to major risks that are not yet subject to export restrictions.
4. Tailoring the stockpiling governance model to the materials of choice, for an overall stockpiling system that optimises cost and benefits.
5. Setting clear transparent principles for stockpile releases to respond to acute short-term supply disruptions, while maintaining robust investment signals for market development.
6. Closely involving industry across upstream and downstream sectors to design feasible and effective stockpiling systems and ensure their operational viability.
7. When compatible with domestic policies, leveraging international collaboration to optimise multiple domestic systems for greater efficiencies.

In Short : Indian researchers have developed a self-charging solar energy storage device that integrates energy harvesting and storage into one unit. Designed as a photo-supercapacitor, the system captures sunlight and stores power simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate solar panels and batteries. The technology promises efficient, low-cost solutions for portable and off-grid energy needs.

In Detail : An innovative sunlight-powered supercapacitor called photo-capacitor developed by scientists can both capture and store solar energy in a single integrated device.

This could be a remarkable step towards clean and self-sustaining energy storage systems paving the way for efficient, low cost, and eco-friendly power solutions for portable, wearable, and off grid technologies.

Traditionally, solar energy systems rely on two separate units: solar panels for energy capture and batteries or supercapacitors for energy storage. While such hybrid systems are widely implemented from large-scale solar farms to portable electronics, they rely on additional power management electronics to regulate voltage and current mismatches between the energy harvester and the storage unit. This requirement increases system complexity, cost, energy losses, and device footprint, which becomes particularly detrimental for miniaturised and autonomous devices.

This new photo-rechargeable supercapacitor, developed by the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. seamlessly combined both processes converting sunlight into electrical energy and storing that energy for later, thus simplifying design and minimising energy loss during conversion and storage.

Under the guidance of Dr. Kavita Pandey, innovated with the help of binder-free use of nickel-cobalt oxide (NiCo2O4) nanowires, which have been uniformly grown on nickel foam using a simple in situ hydrothermal process.

These nanowires, only a few nanometres in diameter and several micrometres long, form a highly porous and conductive 3D network that efficiently absorbs sunlight and stores electrical charge. This unique architecture allowed the material to act simultaneously as a solar energy harvester and a supercapacitor electrode.

When tested, the NiCo2O4 electrode exhibited a remarkable 54% increase in capacitance under illumination, rising from 570 to 880 mF cm-2 at a current density of 15 mA cm-2. This exceptional performance stems from the efficient generation and transfer of light-induced charge carriers within the nanowire network. Even after 10,000 charge-discharge cycles, the electrode retained 85% of its original capacity, demonstrating its long-term stability, an essential feature for practical applications.

To evaluate its real-world applicability, the researchers prepared an asymmetric photo-supercapacitor using activated carbon as the negative electrode and NiCo2O4 nanowires as the positive electrode. The device delivered a stable output voltage of 1.2 volts, maintained 88% of its capacitance retention even after 1,000 photo-charging cycles, and operated efficiently under varying sunlight conditions-from low indoor illumination to intense 2 sun intensity. This stability indicates that the nanowire structure can endure both mechanical and electrochemical stress over extended periods of use.

By integrating sunlight harvesting and energy storage in a single device, the team developed self-charging power systems that can function anywhere even in remote regions without access to an electrical grid.

Such technology can substantially reduce dependence on fossil fuels and conventional batteries, paving the way for a sustainable and green energy future. In addition to the experimental, theoretical study was carried out to understand why the NiCo2O4 nanowire system performs so efficiently.

This study revealed that nickel substitution in the cobalt oxide framework narrows the band gap to approximately 1.67 eV and induces half metallic behavior. This means the material behaves as a semiconductor for one type of electron spin while remaining metallic for the other: a rare dual property that enables faster charge transport and higher electrical conductivity. Such spin dependent conductivity is particularly valuable for photo-assisted charge storage applications.

Integrating sunlight capture and charge storage in a single architecture has been a long-standing goal in sustainable energy research.

This study also demonstrates the synergy between experimental and theoretical insights in materials research. While experiments confirmed enhanced capacitance and durability, theoretical simulations revealed the atomic-level mechanisms driving these improvements. Together, they provide a comprehensive understanding of how nanostructured materials can be optimized for light-responsive energy storage.

This work, published in Sustainable Energy & Fuels (Royal Society of Chemistry Journal), introduces a new class of smart, photo-rechargeable energy storage devices. Overall, this research represents a paradigm shift in renewable energy storage. With further development, such systems could play a pivotal role in achieving India’s clean energy ambitions and inspiring similar innovations worldwide.

Tender for Balance of System for 700 MW (AC) Solar PV Power Plant at Radha Nesda, Banaskantha, Gujarat, India.

Tender No: SECI/C&P/OP/11/023/2025-26

ETS ID: SECI-2026-TN000001

CPPP ID: 2026_SECI_825234_1

Revised Bid Submission Deadline: 19.02.2026 (Thursday, 1400 Hrs.)

Revised Bid Opening Timeline: 19.02.2026 (Thursday, 1600 Hrs.)

Solar power in India has moved decisively from the margins to the mainstream of the country’s energy planning. With capacity targets rising and decarbonisation timelines tightening, the discussion is no […]

The post Manufacturing for Scale, Reliability, and the Next Phase of India’s Solar Growth appeared first on SolarQuarter.

In Short : At India Energy Week 2026, policymakers and industry leaders highlighted how policy certainty, declining renewable energy costs, and rapid technology adoption are accelerating India’s hydrogen and clean fuel ecosystem. The discussions underscored strong government support, increasing private investment, and growing infrastructure development, positioning green hydrogen, biofuels, and alternative fuels as key pillars of India’s energy transition and long-term decarbonisation strategy.

In Detail : Leadership Spotlight session examines investment readiness, demand creation and global partnerships

India’s green hydrogen goals are moving decisively from ambition to execution, driven by competitive pricing, long-term demand creation and sectoral integration, Abhay Bakre, Mission Director, National Green Hydrogen Mission, said at the Leadership Spotlight Session on the third day of India Energy Week 2026.

Speaking on the Resilience Stage at the session titled Scaling Green Ammonia: Value Chain Synergies and the Hydrogen Ecosystem, Bakre said India’s target of producing 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030 has found impetus through successful price discovery, enabling projects to advance toward final investment decisions.

“These three years—2025, 2026 and 2027—are very important for the ecosystem to actually act as a launchpad”, said Bakre. He added that green hydrogen and ammonia prices are increasingly approaching parity with conventional alternatives, a crucial development towards large-scale domestic adoption and exports.

From a technology and industry perspective, Gary Godwin, Vice President, Sustainable Technology Solutions and Global Lead, Critical Minerals, KBR said that green ammonia technologies are now commercially viable and capable of operating at global scale. He noted that the next priority is building robust supply chains and long-term offtake arrangements to unlock deployment across power, shipping and heavy industry.

Speaking on market development, Dr. R K Malhotra, President, Hydrogen Association of India, emphasised that India’s competitive renewable energy prices and emerging electrolyser manufacturing base are creating a strong foundation for green hydrogen and ammonia scale-up.

Offering an international policy perspective, Han Feenstra, Senior Policy Advisor, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, Kingdom of the Netherlands said that European hydrogen markets are shifting toward demand mandates and import frameworks. He added that the development is opening long-term opportunities for reliable partners like India, whose cost competitiveness and policy clarity make it a natural contributor to Europe’s decarbonisation ambitions.

About India Energy Week

India Energy Week is the country’s flagship global energy platform, bringing together government leaders, industry executives and innovators to accelerate progress toward a secure, sustainable and affordable energy future. As a neutral international forum, IEW drives investment, policy alignment and technological collaboration shaping the global energy landscape.

In Short : A recent Parliament question on rare earth minerals highlighted India’s efforts to secure critical resources essential for clean energy, electronics, defence, and advanced manufacturing. The government outlined ongoing exploration, policy support, and international collaborations aimed at boosting domestic production, reducing import dependence, and building resilient supply chains for strategically important minerals.

In Detail : India is not reliant on China for accessing rare earth minerals present in Beach Sand Minerals (BSM) which is the principal ore of Rare Earths (RE) in India. In BSM ore, the prescribed substance monazite occurs, which is a phosphate mineral of Rare Earth Element containing Uranium and Thorium.

IREL (India) Limited (IREL), a PSU under Department of Atomic Energy produces Rare Earth Elements in the form of high pure rare earth oxides from RE bearing mineral Monazite in India. IREL has been operating in three locations having the facility for integrated mining and processing of mineral sands and a facility each for extraction and refining of rare earths. To develop RE value chain in the country, following actions have been initiated :

For strategic sector, a Rare Earth Permanent Magnet plant has been operationalized at Vizag for production of Samarium Cobalt magnets.

IREL has established mini plants for production of Lanthanum, Cerium and Neodymium metals at Rare Earth & Titanium Theme Park, Bhopal as part of the development of RE value chain in the country.

IREL has set up a Rare Earth Element recycling plant at Rare Earth Titanium Theme Park, Bhopal to recover the magnetic Rare Earths from end-of life magnets.

The Union Cabinet has approved the scheme to promote manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnet (REPM) with financial outlay of Rs. 7,280 Crore on 26th November, 2025, to establish 6,000 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) of integrated REPM manufacturing capacity in the country. Five beneficiaries are envisaged under the scheme through global competitive bidding. A transparent Least Cost System (LCS), comprising a two-envelope process i.e. technical bid and financial bid is envisaged. The Sales-Linked Incentive of Rs. 6,450 crore & Capital Subsidy of Rs. 750 crore is allocated for the scheme period. The scheme is aimed at promoting domestic manufacturing of REPM in the country, thereby contributing to reduce dependence on imports for critical sectors such as electric mobility, renewable energy, electronics and defence apart from facilitating employment generation and strengthening of domestic value chains.

This information given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

In Short : The Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 aims to modernise India’s power sector by introducing competition in electricity distribution, improving the financial health of DISCOMs, ensuring cost-reflective tariffs, and strengthening regulatory frameworks. The Bill seeks to enhance consumer choice, promote efficiency, attract private investment, and support India’s clean energy transition while ensuring reliable and affordable power for all.

In Detail : Central Government has issued the draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, proposing comprehensive reforms in the power sector. The draft Bill seeks to take measures for financial sustainability, promote competition, strengthen regulatory accountability, and accelerate India’s transition towards non-fossil fuel–based electricity generation, in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047. The key reforms proposed are outlined below:

i. Financial Viability: The financial sustainability of distribution licensees is critical for reliable and affordable electricity. The proposed amendments mandate cost-reflective tariffs, empower Commissions to determine tariffs suomotu effective 1st April each year.

ii. Economic Competitiveness: High industrial tariffs, cross-subsidies, and rising procurement costs have weakened industrial competitiveness. The proposed reforms aim to rationalise tariffs, unlock demand, reduce costs, and enhance India’s economic productivity and global competitiveness.

iii. Energy Transition: To achieve 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030, the amendments propose empowering CERC to introduce market-based instruments to attract investment and accelerate renewable capacity addition. Enforceable non-fossil energy obligations are also proposed to align the Electricity Act with the Energy Conservation Act.

iv. Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business: The amendments propose uniform national standards of service to improve supply quality and accountability. Consumer-friendly measures include capping assessment for unauthorised use to one year, and reducing appeal pre-deposit requirements.

v. Regulatory Strengthening: To enhance accountability and efficiency, it is proposed that Governments may refer complaints against CERC and SERC Members, with expanded grounds for removal. A 120-day timeline is proposed for adjudicatory decisions, and the strength of APTEL is proposed to be increased to address pendency.

vi. Other Reforms: Powers for installation and maintenance of electric lines are proposed to be transitioned from the repealed Telegraph Act, 1885 into the Electricity Act, 2003, with States framing compensation framework. To reduce network duplication and costs, distribution licensees are proposed be permitted to supply electricity through shared networks, subject to regulatory approval and charges.

Upon enactment, the provisions of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 shall apply uniformly across all States, including Maharashtra.

Subsidies for specified consumer categories including tribal households may continue to be transparently funded by the State Government under Section 65, without compromising the financial sustainability of power sector.

The stakeholders comments on the draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 were invited on 9th October, 2025. The bill is currently in consultation stage and extensive consultation with different categories of stakeholders is in process.

This Information was given by The Minister of State in the Ministry Of Power , Shri Shripad Naik, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

In Short : Over the past decade, India has shifted from chronic power shortages to being largely power-sufficient by massively expanding electricity generation capacity and grid infrastructure. Installed capacity has nearly doubled since 2014, narrowing the gap between demand and supply to almost zero and allowing India to meet peak demand with no shortfall. This transition supports economic growth, universal electrification, and energy security.

In Detail : There is adequate availability of power in the country. Present installed generation capacity of the country is 513.730 GW. Government of India has addressed the critical issue of power deficiency by adding 289.607 GW of fresh generation capacity since April, 2014 transforming the country from power deficit to power sufficient.

The State/ UT-wise details of Power Supply Position, including Maharashtra, for the last three years and the current FY i.e. 2025-26 (upto December, 2025) are attached below. These details indicate that Energy Supplied has been commensurate to the Energy Requirement with only a marginal gap which is generally on account of constraints in the State transmission/distribution network. Hence there is no impact of shortage on the economy and industrial growth.

Further, Electricity being a concurrent subject, the supply and distribution of electricity to the various categories of consumers/areas/districts in a State/UT is within the purview of the respective State Government/Power Utility. The Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Governments by establishing power plants in Central Sector through Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) and allocating power from them to the various States / UTs.

The Government have taken the following steps to meet the increasing demand of electricity in the country:

1. Generation Planning:

• As per National Electricity Plan (NEP), installed generation capacity in 2031-32 is likely to be 874 GW. With a view to ensure generation capacity remains ahead of projected peak demand, all the States, in consultation with CEA, have prepared their “Resource Adequacy Plans (RAPs)”, which are dynamic 10 year rolling plans and includes power generation as well as power procurement planning.
• All the States were advised to initiate process for creating/ contracting generation capacities; from all generation sources, as per their Resource Adequacy Plans.
• In order to augment the power generation capacity, the Government of India has initiated following capacity addition programme:

(A) The projected thermal (coal and lignite) capacity requirement by the year 2034–35 is estimated at approximately 3,07,000 MW as against the 2,11,855 MW installed capacity as on 31.03.2023. To meet this requirement, Ministry of Power has envisaged to set up an additional minimum 97,000 MW coal and lignite based thermal capacity.To meet this requirement, several initiatives have already been undertaken. Thermal capacities of around 17,360 MW have already been commissioned since April 2023 till 20.01.2026. In addition, 39,545 MW of thermal capacity (including 4,845 MW of stressed thermal power projects) is currently under construction. The contracts of 22,920 MW have been awarded and is due for construction. Further, 24,020 MW of coal and lignite-based candidate capacity has been identified which is at various stages of planning in the country.

(B)12,973.5 MW of Hydro Electric Projects are under construction. Further, 4,274 MW of Hydro Electric Projects are under various stage of planning and targeted to be completed by 2031-32.

(C) 6,600 MW of Nuclear Capacity is under construction and targeted to be completed by 2029-30. 7,000 MW of Nuclear Capacity is under various stages of planning and approval.

(D) 1,57,800 MW Renewable Capacity including 67,280 MW of Solar, 6,500 MW of Wind and 60,040 MW Hybrid power is under construction while 48,720 MW of Renewable Capacity including 35,440 MW of Solar and 11,480 MW Hybrid Power is at various stages of planning and targeted to be completed by 2029-30.

(E) In energy storage systems, 11,620 MW/69,720 MWh Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) are under construction. Further, a total of 6,580 MW/39,480 MWh capacity of Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) are concurred and yet to be taken up for construction. Currently, 9,653.94 MW/ 26,729.32 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity are under construction and 19,797.65 MW/ 61,013.40 MWh BESS capacity are under tendering stage

2. Transmission Planning: Inter and Intra-State Transmission System has been planned and implementation of the same is taken up in matching time frame of generation capacity addition. As per the National Electricity Plan, about 1,91,474 ckm of transmission lines and 1,274 GVA of transformation capacity is planned to be added (at 220 kV and above voltage level) during the ten year period from 2022-23 to 2031-32.

3. Promotion of Renewable Energy Generation:

• Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) charges have been waived for inter-state sale of solar and wind power for projects to be commissioned by 30th June 2025, for Green Hydrogen Projects till December 2030 and for offshore wind projects till December 2032.
• Standard Bidding Guidelines for tariff based competitive bidding process for procurement of Power from Grid Connected Solar, Wind, Wind-Solar Hybrid and Firm &Dispatchable RE (FDRE) projects have been issued.
• Renewable Energy Implementing Agencies (REIAs) are regularly inviting bids for procurement of RE power.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has been permitted up to 100 percent under the automatic route.
• To augment transmission infrastructure needed for steep RE trajectory, transmission plan has been prepared till 2032.
• Laying of new intrastate transmission lines and creating new sub-station capacity has been funded under the Green Energy Corridor Scheme for evacuation of renewable power.
• Scheme for setting up of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power projects is being implemented to provide land and transmission to RE developers for installation of RE projects at large scale
• Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Surakshaevam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM), PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, National Programme on High Efficiency Solar Dharti Aabha Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA JGUA), National Green Hydrogen Mission, Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme for Offshore Wind Energy Projects have been launched
• To encourage RE consumption, Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) followed by Renewable Consumption Obligation (RCO) trajectory has been notified till 2029-30. The RCO which is applicable to all designated consumers under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 will attract penalties on non-compliance.
• “Strategy for Establishment of Offshore Wind Energy Projects” has been issued.
• Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM) has been launched to facilitate sale of Renewable Energy Power through exchanges.
• Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has been launched to achieve the objective of localisation of supply chain for solar PV Modules.

The State-wise detail of Power Supply Position in the country in terms of Energy for the year 2022-23 and 2023-24.

State/ System / Region	April, 2022 –  March, 2023				April, 2023 –  March, 2024
	Energy Requirement	Energy Supplied	Energy not Supplied		Energy Requirement	Energy Supplied	Energy not Supplied
	( MU )	( MU )	(MU)	( % )	(MU)	( MU )	(MU)	( % )
Chandigarh	1,788	1,788	0	0	1,789	1,789	0	0
Delhi	35,143	35,133	10	0	35,501	35,496	5	0
Haryana	61,451	60,945	506	0.8	63,983	63,636	348	0.5
Himachal Pradesh	12,649	12,542	107	0.8	12,805	12,767	38	0.3
Jammu & Kashmir	19,639	19,322	317	1.6	20,040	19,763	277	1.4
Punjab	69,522	69,220	302	0.4	69,533	69,528	5	0
Rajasthan	1,01,801	1,00,057	1,745	1.7	1,07,422	1,06,806	616	0.6
Uttar Pradesh	1,44,251	1,43,050	1,201	0.8	1,48,791	1,48,287	504	0.3
Uttarakhand	15,647	15,386	261	1.7	15,644	15,532	112	0.7
Northern Region	4,63,088	4,58,640	4,449	1	4,76,852	4,74,946	1,906	0.4
Chhattisgarh	37,446	37,374	72	0.2	39,930	39,872	58	0.1
Gujarat	1,39,043	1,38,999	44	0	1,45,768	1,45,740	28	0
Madhya Pradesh	92,683	92,325	358	0.4	99,301	99,150	151	0.2
Maharashtra	1,87,309	1,87,197	111	0.1	2,07,108	2,06,931	176	0.1
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu	10,018	10,018	0	0	10,164	10,164	0	0
Goa	4,669	4,669	0	0	5,111	5,111	0	0
Western Region	4,77,393	4,76,808	586	0.1	5,17,714	5,17,301	413	0.1
Andhra Pradesh	72,302	71,893	410	0.6	80,209	80,151	57	0.1
Telangana	77,832	77,799	34	0	84,623	84,613	9	0
Karnataka	75,688	75,663	26	0	94,088	93,934	154	0.2
Kerala	27,747	27,726	21	0.1	30,943	30,938	5	0
Tamil Nadu	1,14,798	1,14,722	77	0.1	1,26,163	1,26,151	12	0
Puducherry	3,051	3,050	1	0	3,456	3,455	1	0
Lakshadweep	64	64	0	0	64	64	0	0
Southern Region	3,71,467	3,70,900	567	0.2	4,19,531	4,19,293	238	0.1
Bihar	39,545	38,762	783	2	41,514	40,918	596	1.4
DVC	26,339	26,330	9	0	26,560	26,552	8	0
Jharkhand	13,278	12,288	990	7.5	14,408	13,858	550	3.8
Odisha	42,631	42,584	47	0.1	41,358	41,333	25	0.1
West Bengal	60,348	60,274	74	0.1	67,576	67,490	86	0.1
Sikkim	587	587	0	0	544	543	0	0
Andaman- Nicobar	348	348	0	0.12914	386	374	12	3.18562
Eastern Region	1,82,791	1,80,888	1,903	1	1,92,013	1,90,747	1,266	0.7
Arunachal Pradesh	915	892	24	2.6	1,014	1,014	0	0
Assam	11,465	11,465	0	0	12,445	12,341	104	0.8
Manipur	1,014	1,014	0	0	1,023	1,008	15	1.5
Meghalaya	2,237	2,237	0	0	2,236	2,066	170	7.6
Mizoram	645	645	0	0	684	684	0	0
Nagaland	926	873	54	5.8	921	921	0	0
Tripura	1,547	1,547	0	0	1,691	1,691	0	0
North-Eastern Region	18,758	18,680	78	0.4	20,022	19,733	289	1.4
All India	15,13,497	15,05,914	7,583	0.5	16,26,132	16,22,020	4,112	0.3

The State-wise detail of actual Power Supply Position in the country in terms of Energy for the years 2024-25 and the current year 2025-26 (uptoDecember, 2025).

State/	April, 2024 –  March, 2025				April, 2025 –  December, 2025
System /	Energy Requirement	Energy Supplied	Energy not Supplied		Energy Requirement	Energy Supplied	Energy not Supplied
Region	( MU )	( MU )	( MU )	( % )	( MU )	( MU )	( MU )	( % )
Chandigarh	1,952	1,952	0	0	1,509	1,509	1	0.0
Delhi	38,255	38,243	12	0	31,011	31,004	7	0.0
Haryana	70,149	70,120	30	0	55,932	55,867	65	0.1
Himachal Pradesh	13,566	13,526	40	0.3	10,295	10,259	36	0.3
Jammu & Kashmir	20,374	20,283	90	0.4	14,874	14,862	12	0.1
Punjab	77,423	77,423	0	0	60,852	60,811	41	0.1
Rajasthan	1,13,833	1,13,529	304	0.3	82,782	82,782	0	0.0
Uttar Pradesh	1,65,090	1,64,786	304	0.2	1,29,271	1,29,245	26	0.0
Uttarakhand	16,770	16,727	43	0.3	12,634	12,585	49	0.4
Northern Region	5,18,869	5,17,917	952	0.2	4,00,371	4,00,135	236	0.1
Chhattisgarh	43,208	43,180	28	0.1	31,484	31,475	8	0.0
Gujarat	1,51,878	1,51,875	3	0	1,18,066	1,18,066	0	0.0
Madhya Pradesh	1,04,445	1,04,312	133	0.1	75,024	75,017	7	0.0
Maharashtra	2,01,816	2,01,757	59	0	1,49,339	1,49,330	9	0.0
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu	10,852	10,852	0	0	8,437	8,437	0	0.0
Goa	5,411	5,411	0	0	4,085	4,085	0	0.0
Western Region	5,28,924	5,28,701	223	0	3,96,482	3,96,458	24	0.0
Andhra Pradesh	79,028	79,025	3	0	59,580	59,574	6	0.0
Telangana	88,262	88,258	4	0	61,137	61,130	7	0.0
Karnataka	92,450	92,446	4	0	67,697	67,687	9	0.0
Kerala	31,624	31,616	8	0	22,947	22,945	2	0.0
Tamil Nadu	1,30,413	1,30,408	5	0	99,673	99,664	10	0.0
Puducherry	3,549	3,549	0	0	2,693	2,690	3	0.1
Lakshadweep	68	68	0	0	54	54	0	0.0
Southern Region	4,25,373	4,25,349	24	0	3,13,762	3,13,724	38	0.0
Bihar	44,393	44,217	176	0.4	37,299	37,283	15	0.0
DVC	25,891	25,888	3	0	18,590	18,587	3	0.0
Jharkhand	15,203	15,126	77	0.5	11,717	11,711	6	0.1
Odisha	42,882	42,858	24	0.1	34,037	34,032	5	0.0
West Bengal	71,180	71,085	95	0.1	56,921	56,888	32	0.1
Sikkim	574	574	0	0	378	378	0	0.0
Andaman- Nicobar	425	413	12	2.9	316	299	17	5.5
Eastern Region	2,00,180	1,99,806	374	0.2	1,58,986	1,58,924	62	0.0
Arunachal Pradesh	1,050	1,050	0	0	909	909	0	0.0
Assam	12,843	12,837	6	0	10,973	10,973	0	0.0
Manipur	1,079	1,068	10	0.9	863	861	3	0.3
Meghalaya	2,046	2,046	0	0	1,542	1,542	0	0.0
Mizoram	709	709	0	0	559	559	0	0.0
Nagaland	938	938	0	0	772	772	0	0.0
Tripura	1,939	1,939	0	0	1,523	1,523	0	0.0
North-Eastern Region	20,613	20,596	16	0.1	17,227	17,224	3	0.0
All India	16,93,959	16,92,369	1,590	0.1	12,86,829	12,86,465	363	0.0

This Information was given by The Minister of State in the Ministry of Power, Shri Shripad Naik, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

In Short : High-level India–Canada discussions in New Delhi, aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and India’s net-zero and Viksit Bharat@2047 goals, resulted in strengthened cooperation on clean mobility, electric vehicles, battery manufacturing, and critical minerals. Both sides agreed to deepen strategic collaboration, secure resilient supply chains for essential minerals, and maintain structured dialogues, signalling renewed momentum in bilateral ties and sustainable industrial partnerships.

In Detail : H.D. Kumaraswamy holds High-Level Engagement to Strengthen Strategic Industrial Partnership

Focus on Batteries, EV Ecosystem, and Sustainable Supply Chains

Meeting Reinforces Viksit Bharat@2047 and Net Zero Vision

Both Nations Agree to Continue Structured Dialogue and Cooperation

Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and guided by the national vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 and Net Zero targets, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, held a high-level bilateral meeting with the Canadian delegation led by *H.E. Mr. Tim Hodgson, Minister of Natural Resources, Canada*, at Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi, to strengthen cooperation in critical minerals, clean mobility, advanced manufacturing, and sustainable industrial development.

The meeting formed part of India’s continued efforts to build resilient and future-ready industrial ecosystems aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on sustainable growth, technological leadership, and self-reliance in strategic sectors.

Welcoming the Canadian delegation, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy underlined the strategic importance of India–Canada collaboration in emerging sectors and sustainable technologies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has articulated the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 and Net Zero by 2070. The automotive, heavy electrical, and capital goods sectors are key pillars supporting this sustainable growth trajectory,” the Minister said.

He highlighted India’s growing global stature in the automobile and electric mobility sectors, noting that the country today ranks among the world’s leading manufacturers of passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, heavy trucks, and two- and three-wheelers.

“Being among the world’s leading automobile manufacturers, India has witnessed rapid adoption of electric vehicles through the FAME-II Scheme, which supported over 16 lakh electric vehicles and enabled the creation of more than 10,900 public charging stations nationwide,” he stated.

Building on this momentum, the Minister referred to the PM E-DRIVE Scheme and the PM e-Bus Sewa initiative as transformative programmes supporting electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, buses, e-trucks, charging infrastructure, and testing facilities.

“Through these initiatives, we are strengthening our domestic manufacturing capabilities and ensuring that our products meet global safety and performance standards,” H.D. Kumaraswamy added.

A major focus of the discussions was the development of a robust and secure battery manufacturing ecosystem and access to critical minerals essential for clean energy technologies.

“India has launched an ambitious incentive programme of nearly US$ 2 billion to create indigenous capability in Advanced Chemistry Cells. We appreciate Canada’s strengths not only in the availability of critical minerals but also in their processing capabilities. This presents strong opportunities for building resilient supply chains,” the Minister said.

He further noted that National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) is actively exploring coal reserves in Canada to enhance India’s steel manufacturing capacity and strengthen long-term energy security.

The Canadian delegation, led by Minister Tim Hodgson, appreciated India’s rapid progress in emerging technologies and industrial innovation. Mr. Hodgson described India as a global leader in battery technologies and clean mobility solutions and expressed Canada’s willingness to share advanced battery technologies with Indian partners.

He acknowledged the remarkable work being carried out by Indian private sector players in the electric mobility and manufacturing sectors and conveyed Canada’s desire for greater access to Indian markets. He also reiterated Canada’s readiness to support India’s requirements for lithium, cobalt, graphite, and rare earth elements, which are critical for the green transition.

The meeting witnessed detailed deliberations on joint coordination frameworks and collaboration opportunities in battery cell and component manufacturing, research and development on next-generation batteries, critical mineral supply chains, testing and certification infrastructure, clean mobility solutions, and sustainable manufacturing processes.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Ministry of Steel were present during the discussions, including Secretary, MHI, Kamran Rizvi, Additional Secretary Hanif Qureshi, Joint Secretary Vijay Mittal, Joint Secretary, Steel, Vinod Kumar Tripati, CMD, NMDC Amitava Mukherjee, CMD, BHEL K.S. Murthy and other senior officials, reflecting the Government of India’s strong institutional commitment to advancing the partnership.

Representatives from the Ministry of External Affairs and senior members of the Canadian delegation also participated actively in the deliberations, ensuring comprehensive engagement at multiple levels.

Summing up the discussions, H.D. Kumaraswamy reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Canada in clean energy, natural resources, and advanced manufacturing.

“Together, these initiatives are building a clean, resilient, and self-reliant automotive ecosystem, positioning India as a global hub for sustainable mobility,” he said.

He further emphasized that India values its engagement with Canada in clean energy and natural resources, and that Canada’s expertise complements India’s clean mobility ambitions and industrial growth objectives.

The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both sides expressing satisfaction over the constructive and outcome-oriented dialogue. It was agreed that structured follow-up mechanisms, technical consultations, and industry-level engagements would continue in the coming months to translate the discussions into concrete projects and partnerships.

With shared priorities in sustainability, innovation, and inclusive growth, India and Canada reaffirmed their commitment to building a strong, long-term, and future-ready strategic partnership in critical minerals, clean mobility, and sustainable manufacturing.

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For years, New Hampshire solar developers and their customers have faced one regulatory roadblock after another, making it much harder to connect solar projects to the grid than in neighboring states. New Hampshire is last in the Northeast for solar deployment, mostly due to its outdated interconnection procedures. These rules govern how clean energy projects…

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The UK government announced it has injected £36 million to increase the power of one of the UK’s leading supercomputing centres sixfold. This includes backing a new National Computational Resource supercomputer ....

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