 "CEA reorganisation begins")
The staff strength will remain the same. Additional charges will be given to senior officials.
The CEA announced its reorganisation in an office order on June 30 for "creation of new divisions and restructuring of the existing formation".
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The authority is statutory body under the ministry of power and was constituted by the Electricity Act. It has 15 major functions specified in the Act ranging from data collection to setting of standards. It also investigates any major mishap, including grid failure.
The CEA will now shift focus to renewable energy, transmission and distribution, and new policies.
The new divisions introduced in the office of the chairperson are co-ordination of internal and external affairs, information technology, and human resource development. The new tasks assigned to the planning wing are integrated resource planning, fuel management, power data management, power survey and load forecasting, renewable energy development, thermal project planning and research and development.
The existing wings - thermal, hydro, power systems, grid operation and distribution, and economic and commercial, have been expanded.
Chief engineers have been given extra charge of power data management, power survey and load forecasting, ultra mega power projects, hydro project appraisal, and thermal projects planning and development.
CEA officials said the reorganisation preceded a road map for the government's '24X7 power for all' initiative and the 19th Electric Power Survey to forecast electricity demand in the country.
The authority is grappling with a staff crunch and lack of talent and technical expertise. A committee headed by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had in a report highlighted the problems of the CEA and suggested remedial measures.
The officials said some junior posts such as deputy director had been abolished and member-level staff had been given additional tasks. "This has been done to prevent any financial burden. It has also brought relief to those waiting for promotion," an official said.
The CEA promoted 46 subordinate engineers to chief engineers last December. The member (planning) holds additional charge as chairperson.
REVAMPING THE POWER SECTOR
- Senior-level employees get additional duties, junior level & deputy director post abolished
- Three new divisions introduced in the office of the chairperson, Seven new tasks assigned to the planning wing
- New tasks: Road map for '24X7 Power for all', the '19 th Electric Power Survey'
- Impetus on transmission and distribution, renewables and hydro
- Monitoring of projects to be strengthened