The Samajwadi Party (SP) has demanded that the State Government roll back power tariff hike, stop undeclared power cuts and also urged the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) to direct the Discoms to reduce transmission loss which is still at 29 per cent in Odisha. SP State president Rabi Behera warned of resorting to a State wide stir if the demands were not met. Behera stated that Odisha was the first State to go for privatisation of power sector reform in 1994-95. Assurance was given to provide uninterrupted, quality power supply at cheaper rate to the consumers.
The Electricity Board which was at a loss of Rs 300 crore and transmission loss of 56percent was fragmented into different companies and subsequently generation, transmission and distribution were separated for better service.“But after 26 years of power sector reform, electricity in Odisha is neither cheap nor qualitative nor uninterrupted.