India’s highest power loss stays in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jul 31: The power distribution company of Kashmir has recorded the highest electricity losses in India for the third consecutive year, with more than one-third of all power it handles vanishing before reaching consumers.
The official figures revealed that in the Financial Year (FY) 2025, Jammu and Kashmir was reeling under 33.54 percent of Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses against the national average of 15.04 percent.
The local Discom, Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) had recorded a AT&C loss of 59.59 percent in FY23 against a target of 54 percent.
The figures further said that the AT&C had improved to 51.98 percent in FY24 against a target of 44 percent. However, the house was informed that the losses further declined to 33.54 percent in FY25 against the target of 44 percent.
In the FY26, KPDCL has set a target to fix the AT&C losses 34 percent.
Earlier this year, the Power Development Department (PDD) has directed the JPDCL and KPDCL to initiate strict actions including deducting up to 50 percent of salary against the officials of divisions and feeders where Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses exceed 40 percent.
Besides, the department had issued the revised Load Curtailment Plan (LPC) with extra hours of power shedding to the areas having AT&C losses of more than 40 percent and between 15 percent and 40 percent respectively.
PDD in an official communique had said that the measures are been taken in order to improve billing efficiency, collection efficiency and to reduce AT&C losses.
Stating the revision of Load Curtailment Plan (LCP), PDD had informed the current plan may be revised by imposing no power cut on feeders having AT&C losses below 15 percent.
“Three hours power cut instead of the present scheduled cut of two hours on feeders having AT&C losses between 15 percent and 40 percent and six hours power cut instead of the present power cut of four hours on feeders having AT&C losses above 40 percent for both Kashmir and Jammu divisions,” it reads.
PDD further said that JKPCL shall explore other options, including entering into additional banking arrangements with other states for the period January 2026 to March 2026 in order to curtail the power purchase bill.
Under the accountability of underperforming divisions and sub- divisions, the DISCOMs, the JPDCL KPDCL were asked to serve show-cause notices to all divisions and sub-divisions and feeders found to be under performing that is where AT&C losses exceed 40 percent, under intimation to the Administrative Department.
“Further, action may be initiated for deduction of 50 percent of salary of the concerned officers or the officials of such divisions, sub-divisions or feeders,” the order issued by PDD earlier this year said. (KNO)