Electricity buyers may see lower costs as the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) reviews transaction fees charged by power trading exchanges. The review is taking place alongside the regulator’s push to introduce market coupling, a long-awaited reform aimed at improving efficiency in price discovery, increasing liquidity and bringing uniformity to electricity prices across trading platforms. Over time, the combined effect of these changes is expected to reduce the overall cost of power procurement. Market coupling was approved by CERC in July this year after more than two years of discussions and is proposed to be rolled out in stages, starting with the day-ahead market (DAM) from January 2026. Once implemented, buy and sell bids from all power exchanges will be pooled together to determine a single market-clearing price, replacing the existing system under which prices differ across exchanges. An official said that the regulator has finalised a staff paper titled ‘Review of Transaction Fee charged by the Power Exchanges’ in December 2025. According to the official, who spoke to PTI on the condition of anonymity, CERC is assessing whether the current transaction fee cap of 2 paise per unit is still appropriate at a time when traded volumes have risen sharply and the market is transitioning towards a unified price discovery mechanism. Among the options being discussed is a fixed transaction fee of 1.5 paise per unit for most trading segments. Under the present framework, power exchanges generally charge close to the permitted ceiling. Another proposal under consideration is a lower fee of 1.25 paise per unit for term-ahead market (TAM) contracts, reflecting their longer tenure and comparatively lower operational intensity. India’s exchange-based power market has seen rapid growth over the past decade. Electricity traded through exchanges has increased more than 16 times since 2009-10, with total traded volumes exceeding 120 billion units in 2023-24. While the day-ahead market previously accounted for nearly all exchange-based trading, real-time, intra-day and term-ahead segments now make up an increasing share. Industry experts believe market coupling will help reduce price disparities across exchanges, improve the use of generation capacity and allow buyers to access power at more efficient rates. “Since bids are aggregated across all exchanges, prices are expected to converge and soften to some extent, benefiting distribution companies and large consumers and eventually end-users,” one expert told PTI.At present, Indian Energy Exchange dominates the segment, accounting for nearly 90% of exchange-based power trading volumes, with Power Exchange India Ltd (PXIL) and Hindustan Power Exchange Ltd (HPX) accounting for the rest. Under the approved framework, all three exchanges will act as Market Coupling Operators on a rotational basis, while Grid-India will serve as a backup and audit operator to safeguard system integrity. Officials pointed out that transaction fee structures will gain added significance once exchanges cease competing on price discovery. With transaction fees contributing more than 95% of revenues for established exchanges, any revision is expected to have a meaningful impact on the sector. The official said discussions on transaction fees are still at an early stage, and any changes will be finalised after stakeholder consultations, keeping in mind the broader objective of improving efficiency, transparency and affordability in India’s power markets.

Last Updated:December 28, 2025, 10:40 IST

Ashwini Vaishnaw highlights India’s electronics manufacturing boom with Make in India, ECMS, record Rs 1.15 lakh crore investments, 1.42 lakh jobs, etc.

News18

India’s push to become a global manufacturing hub in electronics and increase export share with Make in India schemes and production-linked incentives in the past few years has borne fruit now. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared a thread on X highlighted the rising growth of India in electronics manufacturing, along with the creation of jobs and attracting record investments.

Highlighting the impact of government-led manufacturing policies, Vaishnaw said the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) is playing a key role in shifting India’s focus from assembling finished products to building a strong component ecosystem. Under the scheme, 249 applications have been received, committing investments worth Rs 1.15 lakh crore. These projects are expected to generate Rs 10.34 lakh crore worth of production and create 1.42 lakh jobs, marking the highest-ever investment commitment in India’s electronics sector.

Self-Reliant In Semiconductor Manufacturing

Alongside component manufacturing, India is also making progress in the semiconductor space. The minister said 10 semiconductor units have been approved so far, with three already in pilot or early production stages. Once fully operational, fabrication units and ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging) facilities based in India are expected to supply chips directly to domestic mobile phone and electronics manufacturers, reducing import dependence.

Vaishnaw further noted that electronics manufacturing has already created 25 lakh jobs over the last decade, calling it “real economic growth at the grassroots level.” He added that as semiconductor manufacturing and component ecosystems scale up, the pace of job creation is likely to accelerate further.

“This is the ‘Make in India’ impact story,” Vaishnaw said, underlining how manufacturing-led growth is strengthening India’s position in the global electronics value chain.

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This year has been a miserable one for households after across-the-board price hikes on everything from energy to council tax left many struggling to balance their budgets.

The so-called “Awful April” price hikes combined with high energy costs saw the average household facing an annual increase of £1,254 from essential bill rises, according to figures from comparison site Uswitch.

Most areas in England saw council tax bills rise by 5% – the maximum amount permitted – with some including Birmingham, Bradford, Newham, Somerset, Trafford, and Windsor & Maidenhead granted special permission to go even higher.

Water bills increased by an average £123 per year – the largest rise since the industry was privatised in 1989.

Broadband and phone bills also rose while the cost of a TV licence and the standard rate of car tax both increased by £5 – with electric vehicles no longer exempt.

Meanwhile, Ofgem’s energy price cap – which sets bills for households still on standard variable tariffs rather than fixed deals sought out independently – started the year at £1,738 for the average household and will end it at £1,755 before it rises to £1,758 on January 1.

Uswitch spokeswoman Sabrina Hoque said: “Pressure points have been widespread. Energy debt hit an eight-year high in October, with households now owing £780 million to their suppliers. The strain is so severe that more than two million homes say they won’t turn on their heating this winter – a fifth higher than last year.

“Similarly, mobile and broadband bills have been a key area of concern, with average annual jumps of £21.99 for broadband and £15.90 for mobile. In the last few months, we have seen nearly every major provider announce updated price rise rates for new customers, with monthly increases going up to as much as £4.

“For many broadband and mobile customers, bills are set to rise again in April 2026. If you are out of contract or your deal is set to expire ahead of April, it is time to take action. Out-of-contract rates tend to be more expensive, and you could save an average of £203 a year by switching to a new broadband deal.”

Citizens Advice chief executive Dame Clare Moriarty said: “The cost-of-living crisis is not over. Stubbornly high bills and increasing living costs mean four million people are in a negative budget, meaning they can’t afford essentials like energy bills, rent, or food.

“Our advisers see the impact of these punishingly high costs every day. People come to us feeling like they’re constantly fighting to stay afloat but, despite their best efforts, are sinking further into the red.

“Everyone should be able to afford the essentials and that’s why better targeted support is crucial. We want the Government to increase Local Housing Allowance to help those struggling with their rent and improve bill support to ensure sky-high utility costs, like energy and water, don’t continue to stretch household budgets beyond breaking point.”