Devendra Kumar Sharma has been appointed as the chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (HPERC). He was administered the oath of office by Chief Secretary Anil Khachi here today. Sharma has 39 years of experience in energy and water resources sectors in India and abroad. He had worked as the chairman of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), from April, 2017, to July, 2020, where he was responsible for managing the assets of national importance. He was also responsible for managing the supply of electricity and water for irrigation and drinking in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh Earlier, he was the Managing Director of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd from September 2012, to April 2017. He has worked in the corporate sector in India. He has been part of the Tala Hydroelectric Project Authority in Bhutan. He has also worked at the SJVNL and in the HPSEBL in various capacities.

 Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission 

The functions of the Commission as stated under the Section 86 of the Electricity Act, 2003 are as follows:

The State Commission shall discharge the following functions, namely: –

• Determine the tariff for generation, supply, transmission and wheeling of electricity, wholesale, bulk or retail, as the case may be, within the State: Providing that where open access has been permitted to a category of consumers under section 42, the State Commission shall determine only the wheeling charges and surcharge thereon, if any, for the said category of consumers.
• Regulate electricity purchase and procurement process of distribution licensees including the price at which electricity shall be procured from the generating companies or licensees or from other sources through 46 agreements for purchase of power for distribution and supply within the State;
• Facilitate intra-state transmission and wheeling of electricity;
• Issue licences to persons seeking to act as transmission licensees, distribution licensees and electricity traders with respect to their operations within the State;
• Promote cogeneration and generation of electricity from renewable sources of energy by providing suitable measures for connectivity with the grid and sale of electricity to any person, and also specify, for purchase of electricity from such sources, a percentage of the total consumption of electricity in the area of a distribution licence;
• Adjudicate upon the disputes between the licensees, and generating companies and to refer any dispute for arbitration;
• Levy fee for the purposes of this Act;
• Specify State Grid Code consistent with the Grid Code specified under clause (h) of sub-section (1) of section 79;
• Specify or enforce standards with respect to quality, continuity and reliability of service by licensees;
• Fix the trading margin in the intra-State trading of electricity, if considered, necessary;
• Discharge such other functions as may be assigned to it under this Act.
• The State Commission shall advise the State Government on all or any of the following  matters, namely :- Promotion of competition, efficiency and economy in activities of the electricity industry; Promotion of investment in electricity industry;
• Reorganization and restructuring of electricity industry in the State;
• Matters concerning generation, transmission , distribution and trading of electricity or any other matter referred to the State Commission by that Government.
• The State Commission shall ensure transparency while exercisingits powers and discharging its functions.
• In discharge of its functions the State Commission shall be guided by the National Elect-ricity Policy, National Electricity Plan and tariff policy published under section 3.