Kashmir’s Power Paradox: Fix Losses before Raising Tariff Part-I

The first part of this two-part series revisits Kashmir’s long-running power crisis through the lens of tariff reforms and systemic inefficiencies. Drawing on past interventions by the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it argues that consumers should not be penalised for an inefficient distribution system still carrying AT&C losses more than twice the national average. The article urges regulators to prioritise technological monitoring, feeder and transformer-level energy accounting, and mohalla-substation accountability before approving fresh tariff hikes. It frames the current 6.83 per cent tariff increase as part of a deeper structural problem, insisting that financial sustainability must be built on operational efficiency, transparency and accountability across the entire electricity value chain, especially in a hydropower-rich region like Kashmir.