The Ministry of Power has taken a firm stand against the use of Chinese equipment in the conventional power generation sector.

Speaking to reporters at the conference of Power and New and Renewable Energy Ministers of States and Union Territories, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power and New and Renewable Energy RK Singh said that there should be a push for local substitution.

“We have imported ₹71,000 crore of power equipment in fiscal 2018-19. Of this, ₹21,000 crore worth of imports came from China. This is unacceptable and now China and Pakistan will be put in prior reference countries,” he said.

Imports from prior reference countries will need an approval from the Centre before they are allowed into the country.

“And we will not give a permit for the same. Transmission tower elements, conductors, parts of meters are imported from China and there is no logic in that,” he said.

Highlighting the proposed measures to increase adoption of domestically made equipment, Singh said, “The Power Finance Corporation, REC, and Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency are working on a scheme to offer cheaper financing to those projects that use domestically manufactured equipment.”

Singh said that imports of renewable energy generation equipment, such as solar cells and modules will not be covered by this order. Renewable energy generation equipment import into the country stands at around $2.5 billion.

In an order issued earlier this week, the Power Ministry said that the power supply system and network are vulnerable to cyber-attacks through malware or trojans embedded in imported equipment.

The order said that all equipment, components, and parts imported for use in the power supply system and network shall be tested in the country to check for any kind of embedded malware, trojans, cyber threat and for adherence to Indian standards.

“All such testing shall be done in certified laboratories that will be designated by the Ministry of Power,” the order said.

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