# Why policymakers must foster competition in electricity

> Policymakers need to boost private competition in India's power sector to cut costs and outages.
- Title: Why policymakers must foster competition in electricity · mint
- Summary: Policymakers need to boost private competition in India's power sector to cut costs and outages. India's power sector must allow private companies to compete…
- Keywords: power sector, electricity competition, state-owned utilities, private firms, renewable energy, electricity tariffs, india, mint
- Source: mint — https://livemint.com/opinion/online-views/the-power-of-choice-why-policymakers-must-foster-competition-in-the-electricity-sector-11793798292114.html
- Author: Mint Editorial Board
- Published: 2026-11-05T02:00:47+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: power sector, electricity competition, state-owned utilities, private firms, renewable energy, electricity tariffs, india, news
## Power sector monopoly
The power sector has largely remained the preserve of state-owned monopolies.
## Telecom vs power competition
The telecom sector has seen intense competition, while the power sector remains monopolized.
## Haryana policy reversal
Haryana allowed a private firm to serve Gurugram and Nuh but reversed the order after protests.
## Karnataka withdrawal
Tata Power withdrew its application to supply electricity to 19 districts in Karnataka.
## Consumer impact
Retail consumers depend on inefficient state utilities that cause frequent outages.
## State discoms' challenges
State utilities struggle to access cheaper electricity markets and maintain infrastructure.
## Union government role
The Union government needs to engage states to open up power distribution to private competition.
## Policy consensus needed
Policymakers must build consensus to allow private competition and improve power sector health.
## Key takeaway

India's power sector must allow private companies to compete with state utilities to lower bills and improve reliability for consumers.