Patna: From once regarded as power power-starved state to a state giving 125 units of free electricity to its 1.86 crore domestic consumers, all this has happened because of Bihar government’s sustained efforts and endeavours to ensure power availability, besides strengthening and modernising power supply infrastructure in the state over a period of two decades under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The state’s NDA government, which started from scratch in 2005, has taken umpteen measures to improve the overall power scenario of the state. Be it the case of increasing power supply, per capita power consumption, phenomenal rise in number of power consumers, reducing AT&C losses, strengthening transmission & distribution lines.
State achieved a record power supply of 8752 from 700 mw
The state, which could barely draw a meagre power supply of 700 MW across the state in 2005, has achieved a record power supply of 8752 MW on July 23 this year (2025) which is more than 12.5 times of what it was in 2005, as per energy department official data.
Per capita power consumption increased to 363 from 75 units
Similarly, annual per capita power consumption, which was 75 units in the year 2005, has now increased to five times to 363 units at present.
The universal electrification of villages and households, urbanisation, industrialisation have also played a crucial role in increasing per capita consumption. The achievement of universal electrification for villages and households has also played a crucial role in increasing per capita consumption.
The government has already achieved the target of electrifying every nook and corner of the state in October 2018 under “Har Ghar Bijli” scheme.
At present, the average power supply has increased to 22 to 24 hours in urban areas and in rural areas, the supply has increased considerably to 18 to 20 hours a day.
Power Consumers increase from 2.12 crore to 17.3 lakh
The number of consumers has increased to 2.12 crore from 17.3 lakh in 2005. Of this, around 75 lakh smart prepaid meters have been installed across the state so far. This included both domestic and commercial power consumers. Out of 75 lakh prepaid meters, around 60 lakh are domestic consumers.
Massive Decline in AT&C Losses From 59 to 15.50 per cent
The strengthening of transmission and distribution network across the state by setting up new Grid Sub Stations (GSS) and Power Sub Stations (PSS) besides replacing old and dilapidated cables and installing Aerial Bunched Cables (ABC) and other measures helped the Bihar State Power Holding Company Ltd (BSPHCL) in checking power theft through illegal hooking significantly leading to reduction in Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses.
The AT&C loss has declined significantly to 15.50 per cent in 2024-25 from a whopping 59.24 per cent, as per the official data.
The AT&C loss could be reduced because of various types of works carried out by the power companies to build massive infrastructure to ensure smooth power supply.
Setting UP New GSS & PSS TO Augment Power Supply
Grid Sub-Stations (GSS) and Power Sub-Stations (PSS) were built to ensure better and smooth power supply. The number of increased to four times to 172 while the number of PSS rose three times to 1260 in 2025. The number of Distribution Transformers (DTs) has increased 10 times to 3.5 lakh besides expanding the transmission lines of upto 20,000 km. It is the DT from which power consumer is supplied power to his/her household.
The transmission lines increased four times to 20,000 KM while the 33 KV lines increased three times to 19,000 KM since 2005.
