Retired IAS officer Subhash Chandra Lal Das takes over as DERC chief

Retired IAS officer Subhash Chandra Lal Das on Thursday took over as chairman of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC)

Retired IAS officer Subhash Chandra Lal Das on Thursday took over as chairman of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC). Power minister Ashish Sood administered the oath of office and secrecy to him.

DERC was constituted by the Delhi government in 1999 under the Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998. It is a three-member commission comprising a chairperson and two members. (Representative photo)

Sood said Das’s extensive administrative experience would strengthen the functioning of the power regulator and benefit Delhi’s electricity sector.

The minister said the Delhi government’s priorities in the power sector included transparency, accountability and protection of consumer interests.

Das took charge of the regulatory body at a time when electricity tariffs, power procurement, distribution companies and consumer interests remain key areas of the commission’s mandate.

DERC was constituted by the Delhi government in 1999 under the Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998. It is a three-member commission comprising a chairperson and two members.

Under Section 86 of the Electricity Act, 2003, the commission has wide-ranging regulatory responsibilities. These include determining electricity tariffs for generation, supply, transmission and wheeling; regulating power procurement by distribution companies; approving power purchase agreements; and issuing licences to transmission and distribution licensees and electricity traders.

The commission is also tasked with promoting renewable energy and cogeneration, including grid connectivity and procurement of electricity from renewable sources. It can adjudicate disputes between licensees and generating companies and refer disputes to arbitration.

Besides its regulatory role, DERC advises the Delhi government on matters including promoting competition, efficiency and economy in the electricity industry and encouraging investment in the sector.

The post of DERC chairperson had been vacant since Justice Umesh Kumar retired in July 2025, months after taking charge in March that year. His predecessor, Justice (retd) Jayant Nath, who had been appointed pro-tem DERC chairperson by the Supreme Court, stepped down following the formation of the new government in Delhi.