The Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) is the statutory electricity regulatory body for the Indian state of Odisha. It is responsible for regulating the generation, transmission, distribution, supply and tariff of electricity within the state, in accordance with central and state legislation governing the power sector.
| Name | Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission |
|---|---|
| Acronym | OERC |
| Type | State electricity regulatory commission |
| Jurisdiction | State of Odisha, India |
| Headquarters | Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
| Sector | Electricity / power regulation |
Odisha was among the first Indian states to undertake comprehensive reform and unbundling of its state-owned electricity sector during the 1990s. As part of this reform process, an independent regulator was established to handle tariff determination, licensing of utilities, and oversight of service standards, replacing functions previously performed within the integrated state electricity board.
The OERC was constituted under the legislative framework enacted by the Government of Odisha for the reform of the state's electricity industry. Its functioning was subsequently aligned with the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, which provides the present statutory basis for state electricity regulatory commissions across India.
The Commission is headed by a Chairperson and supported by Members appointed by the Government of Odisha. It functions as a quasi-judicial body, conducting public hearings, issuing orders and tariff regulations, and publishing annual tariff orders for the state's distribution companies. Its orders are appealable before the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity and, on questions of law, before the Supreme Court of India.
As the regulator of one of India's earliest reformed power sectors, the OERC has played a notable role in shaping the model of state-level electricity regulation in the country. Its decisions affect a wide range of stakeholders, including generation companies, the state transmission utility, distribution licensees serving different zones of Odisha, industrial and agricultural consumers, and domestic households.