UP govt may privatise Purvanchal discom to cut losses, improve supply infra

The firm covers Varanasi and Gorakhpur; initial discussions commence

The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government is looking at privatising one of its five power distribution companies (discoms) — Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam (PuVVNL).

This discom, which controls and manages electricity supply in eastern UP, covers two cities with political heft - Varanasi (represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and Gorakhpur (the Assembly constituency of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath).

Senior executives said the power department is planning to privatise PuVNNL to cut losses and improve supply infrastructure.

Varanasi was earlier slated to become the model city for urban power reforms. This included underground cabling, smart metering, and information technology-enabled electricity supply, among others.