AIPEF opposes power sector privatisation, warns of protests against Electricity Amendment Bill

Hyderabad: The Federal Council of the All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) declared that if the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the privatisation of electricity being carried out in Uttar Pradesh are not immediately withdrawn, then all power engineers and power employees across the country will be forced to take to the streets in joint agitation.

The federation held a meeting in Kolkata, where it appealed to the Government of India and State governments to stop the privatisation of the power sector.

Privatisation will harm farmers and poor consumers

They said that the move is important in the broader interest of farmers and poor consumers, and to keep the power sector in the public sector. “For this purpose, it is essential that the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2025 issued by the Ministry of Power be immediately withdrawn,” the federation declared.

In the resolution passed by the Federal Council, a call has been made to power engineers in all states and union territories across the country to prepare for a nationwide strike against privatisation.

Federation calls for support from public

The Federation stated that by forming a joint front with farmers and consumers, electricity workers will launch a widespread public movement against privatisation. The federation has appealed to the general public to support the electricity workers’ movement in their own interest and to stand with power employees in stopping the privatisation process.

The Federal Council meeting was presided over by Shailendra Dubey, Chairman of the All India Power Engineers Federation. The meeting was attended by senior office bearers of the Federal Council.

Sixth time Centre introducing Electricity (Amendment) Bill

The Federation stated that the Central government has previously introduced the Electricity (Amendment) Bill five times. Due to strong resistance from power engineers, power employees and consumers, it could not be passed. This is the sixth time the Central government has introduced the Electricity (Amendment) Bill.

In the Federation’s resolution, it was stated that through the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, the Central government wants to privatise the entire power sector.

Private companies will use the government sector’s network to earn profits, while the agriculture sector and poor consumers will remain with government companies, which will increase the losses of government companies and render them financially bankrupt.

Bill aims to remove the subsidy

The Electricity Amendment Bill contains a very dangerous provision to eliminate subsidy and cross-subsidy, the federation said in a public statement.

As a result, subsidies for farmers and poor consumers will end, and electricity rates will become so high that electricity will be out of reach for the common man. The Electricity Amendment Bill is in no way in the interest of the common people and should be withdrawn.

In the resolution passed by the federation, it was stated that forcing states to privatise in the name of financial assistance from the Central government is arm-twisting and blackmail, and it will not be accepted. The federation said that if the Central government takes any such decision, power engineers and employees across the country will be forced to agitate against it.

The ‘power experiment’ in Odisha

The federation stated that the experiment of privatisation in Odisha has failed three times. The experiment with the American company AES failed. After Reliance Power Company completely failed in February 2015, the Electricity Regulatory Commission cancelled the licenses of all three companies.

During the Covid-19 period, in June 2020, licenses for electricity distribution in Odisha were given to Tata Power. On July 15, taking suo motu cognisance, the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission issued notices to all four companies of Tata Power for completely failing in consumer service and ordered a public hearing.

The federation demanded the withdrawal of the decision to privatise in the transmission sector in the name of tariff-based competitive bidding and asset monetisation. The federation said that if this is not stopped, the entire transmission sector will soon be privatised, which will not be in the interest of consumers.

The federation strongly condemned in harsh words the repression being carried out against electricity employees in Uttar Pradesh in the name of privatisation and said that privatisation will not be allowed through an atmosphere of fear and repression. The federation demanded the withdrawal of all repressive actions taken in Uttar Pradesh.

Representatives of power engineers’ associations from Kerala, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha, West Bengal, Damodar Valley Corporation, Jharkhand, Jammu, Kashmir, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh participated in the Federal Council meeting.