Power Sector-People's Initiative (1999-ongoing)

Consumer Organisation for Regulation of Electricity (CORE) of LOK SATTA has been working since January'1999 on resolving the crisis in electricity sector. Distinguished experts, jurists and activists including N Tata Rao, Justice A.Laxmana Rao, Justice Reddappa Reddy, TL Shankar, SR Vijayakar, K Balarama Reddy, Capt. J Ramarao, MHPRao, KP Rao and Jayaprakash Narayan prepared a people's charter after careful study and intensive debate. The charter focuses largely on reduction of T&D losses, transparency, and fairness in power purchase agreements with private projects, and a transparent, competitive and efficient management of distribution sector. This charter has influenced public discourse in AP, and is now the basis of evaluation of power sector reform. LOK SATTA's proposal for micro privatization of power distribution is accepted by the state government and the distribution companies have already initiated the process of privatization at the sub-station level. In the meantime LOK SATTA has embarked on setting up four pilot projects in East and West Godavari, Guntur and Krishna Districts to demonstrate how distribution systems can be made more efficient and consumer friendly with a single point responsibility of a franchisee, working in tandem with LOK SATTA volunteers and the consumers of the area, particularly, the farmers.

LOK SATTA has emerged as one of the most authoritative voices on power sector reforms in the country.