India's Power Bill: Why the Lights Stay On but Discoms Stay Broke

Rural supply rose to ~22.6 hours a day in 2025 from 12.5 in 2014, yet evening and summer cuts persist

Discoms posted their first collective profit in over a decade in FY25, but carry ~₹6.47 lakh crore in accumulated losses

AT&C losses fell to 15.04%, the lowest ever, though the target was 12-15% by March 2026

Late tariff revisions and delayed state subsidies, not theft alone, keep distribution companies cash-starved

Cost-reflective tariffs, timely subsidy transfers and storage for evening peaks are the fixes experts agree on