Energy transition hub launched to support coal-dependent eastern, NE states
Times of India | 13 February 2026
Kolkata: The Energy Transition Hub for the Eastern and Northeastern States (Ethens), a joint initiative of The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri) and the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), was launched in Kolkata on Thursday to support coal-dependent regions as they move towards cleaner energy systems.
Conceived as a Discom-driven, demand-led regional platform, Ethens aims to help utilities translate national clean energy goals into implementable, region-specific strategies.
While energy transition is inevitable, speakers at a high-level roundtable convened by Teri highlighted the risk of livelihood disruptions in states heavily reliant on coal and thermal power generation. Ethens seeks to address these concerns by fostering research, policy dialogue and capacity-building to ensure a just and inclusive transition.
Teri DG Vibha Dhawan stressed the need for regional institutional innovation, noting that a single national template cannot address diverse local constraints while Teri distinguished fellow Dipak Dasgupta underscored the vast renewable energy potential in the region.
DVC chairman Suresh Kumar called for focused policy support to enable a fair and sustainable transition. "Green energy growth has been uneven because of discrimination and regional biases in the policy. But now everybody understands that E&NE cannot be left behind." Krushna Chana Panigrahy, DG, Bureau of Energy Efficiency, highlighted opportunities in energy efficiency to reduce intensity and unlock cost-effective gains.
Other speakers, including representatives from SECI and Andrew Fleming, UK deputy high commissioner, E&NE India, emphasised grid preparedness, storage integration and international collaboration.