Odisha Seeks ₹3,069 Crore, Extra Power Allocation for Grid Upgrade

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo met with Union Minister for Power, Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, in New Delhi on Tuesday to seek the Centre’s intervention and support in addressing critical power sector challenges in the state.

According to an official press release, Singh Deo pressed for early sanction of ₹3,069 crore under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) to upgrade Odisha’s electricity distribution infrastructure. He stressed that such support was essential to ensure a stable and efficient power supply, especially in disaster-prone areas.

Highlighting Odisha’s vulnerability to frequent natural disasters such as cyclones and floods, the Deputy CM called for Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to develop disaster-resilient power infrastructure. This includes implementing selective underground cabling in high-risk zones within 30 km of the coastline, a proposal supported by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

Singh Deo also requested an additional allocation of 800 MW from the NLC Talabira Thermal Power Project Phase-II, supplementing the 400 MW already granted in Phase-I. This would raise Odisha’s total share from the 3,200 MW project to 1,200 MW, helping the state meet its growing industrial and domestic power demands.

The Deputy Chief Minister underlined Odisha’s significant progress in strengthening its power infrastructure and said timely support from the Centre would reinforce both state and national energy goals, particularly in building a resilient and reliable power grid.

The meeting reflects Odisha’s proactive engagement with the Centre to ensure energy security and infrastructure preparedness in the face of rising consumption and environmental risks.