Roorkee, May 08: Shri Manohar Lal, Minister of Power, Government of India, today inaugurated the Centre for Regulatory Affairs at IIT Roorkee. The Centre is a joint initiative of the Forum of Regulators (FOR) and IIT Roorkee. The Forum of Regulators (FOR) is a statutory body in India that brings together central and state electricity regulators to coordinate, harmonize, and improve regulatory practices across the power sector.
Since assuming charge as Union Minister of Power in June 2024, Manohar Lal has consistently emphasised strengthening the regulatory architecture of India’s power sector to make it more resilient, transparent, efficient, and future-ready. Under his leadership, special focus has been laid on improving regulatory practices, enhancing institutional capacity, and preparing the sector to address emerging challenges such as rising electricity demand, large-scale renewable energy integration, expanding power markets, and rapid adoption of digital technologies.
In this direction, the inauguration of the Centrefor Regulatory Affairs by the Forum of Regulators in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee marks another significant step towards strengthening India’s regulatory ecosystem in the power sector. Shri Manohar Lal noted that this is the second such Centre being established in collaboration with an IIT. Earlier, a similar Centre of Excellence had been established with the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Grid Controller of India Limited to further strengthen research, capacity building, and regulatory excellence in the sector.
The inauguration marks an important step towards strengthening India’s regulatory capacity in a rapidly evolving power sector characterised by growing electricity demand, large-scale renewable energy integration, expanding power markets, and increasing use of digital technologies.
The Centre for Regulatory Affairs (CRA) is envisaged as a national-level hub for regulatory research, capacity building, advisory support and knowledge dissemination. By locating the Centre within a premier academic institution and anchoring it through close collaboration between the Forum of Regulators (FOR), the initiative brings together policy, regulation and academic research in a single institutional framework.
The Centre has been established to strengthen the power sector’s regulatory ecosystem. It will deepen understanding of regulatory frameworks across Central and State Commissions and key stakeholders, while identifying gaps and undertaking studies on critical issues such as Discom viability, energy markets, energy transition, and cost optimisation. The Centre will also foster collaboration with leading institutions, organise training and seminars, and offer higher education programmes, including a postgraduate degree in Energy Planning and Regulation, to build a strong pool of skilled professionals across the sector.
Shri Manohar Lal, Minister of Power, Government of India, said, “I expect the Centre to carry critical discussions like regulatory sandboxing and demand flexibility forward and help translate them into strategic tools of the Power Sector, in the times to come. IIT Roorkee, with its established repute, should aim to indulge in original research that not only deepens understanding of the evolving scenario but also drives the development of innovative and transformative technologies for future.”
Shri Jishnu Barua, Chairperson, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission / Forum of Regulators (FOR), said. “The FOR envisions the Centre to strive and establish itself as a leading hub for regulatory capacity building across the broader Indian Industry. By producing high-quality research, publications, and knowledge resources, it can showcase India’s experience and thought leadership in managing a large, complex, and rapidly evolving power sector.”
Prof. K.K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee said, “India’s transition toward a resilient, intelligent, and sustainable energy ecosystem requires strong regulatory innovation backed by research and institutional collaboration. The Centre for Regulatory Affairs at IIT Roorkee will serve as a multidisciplinary platform connecting academia, regulators, policymakers, and industry to address emerging challenges in energy transition and infrastructure governance.”
The partnership between Forum of Regulators (FOR) and IIT Roorkee represents a unique institutional model, bringing together regulatory leadership and academic excellence. Such collaboration is expected to contribute significantly to building robust, adaptive and future-ready regulatory frameworks for India’s power sector.
