Patna: Bihar’s state-run power utility on Friday hosted a high-level industry interaction with leading companies and policy representatives to explore investment opportunities and partnerships in the state’s rapidly expanding power sector.
The meeting, organised at Vidyut Bhawan under the aegis of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), brought together senior officials of Bihar State Power Holding Company Limited (BSPHCL) and representatives from major energy and infrastructure companies. The session focused on presenting the state’s strategic roadmap for power sector development and strengthening collaboration with private industry.
The interaction was chaired by energy secretary and BSPHCL chairperson-cum-managing director Manoj Kumar Singh. Senior officials including the managing directors of South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited and other BSPHCL subsidiaries, along with advisers and transmission company officials, were present at the meeting.
Welcoming the CII delegation, Singh outlined Bihar’s vision for the power sector, highlighting the government’s commitment to uninterrupted electricity supply, expansion of renewable energy and modernisation of infrastructure. The CII representatives also honoured Singh with a shawl as a gesture of appreciation during the event.
The industry delegation included Jyoti Mukul, chief of energy at CII, Surender Rai, director at CII Delhi, and Sanjay Goenka from CII Patna. They were joined by 17 senior industry leaders representing companies involved in power generation, renewable energy, smart metering, transformers and financial services. Representatives from major firms including NHPC Ltd., Tata Power, ReNew, Hitachi Energy and Avaada Group participated in the discussion.
During the meeting, participants discussed opportunities in independent power projects, solar and battery energy storage systems, hydropower, smart metering and transmission infrastructure. The dialogue also focused on how private sector expertise and investment could support Bihar’s growing electricity demand and expanding industrial base.
Singh said Bihar is positioned to emerge as a major industrial hub within the next five years, adding that policy reforms and infrastructure investments have already begun improving the state’s investment climate. He highlighted ongoing efforts to adopt advanced technologies such as drone-based monitoring and artificial intelligence to improve operational efficiency and reduce the cost of electricity for consumers.
According to BSPHCL, Bihar’s power sector has seen significant improvement in recent years. Distribution companies and the state transmission utility have reported profits since the 2022–23 financial year, while revenue collection has nearly doubled from Rs 8,598 crore in 2020 to Rs 17,115 crore in 2024–25. At the same time, aggregate technical and commercial losses have declined sharply from 35.12% to 15.54%.
Officials said more than Rs 75,000 crore has been invested in the state’s power sector over the past decade, with peak electricity demand rising from 1,802 MW in 2013 to 8,752 MW in 2025. Bihar now serves over 220 lakh consumers with improved supply and expanded electrification coverage.
The state government plans to invest more than Rs 78,000 crore between 2026 and 2031 to strengthen power generation, transmission and distribution networks. Officials said the initiative aims to create a strong and investor-friendly ecosystem in line with the state’s broader development goals.
