PATNA, Aug. 11 -- Bihar has unveiled an ambitious Rs.1.39 lakh crore investment roadmap for its power sector over the next five years, with a major focus on renewable energy, generation capacity, transmission expansion, grid modernisation and digital infrastructure as the state prepares for peak power demand of 11,747 MW by 2030, said officials on Monday. "The investment blueprint proposes a total planned investment of Rs.1,39,876 crore over the next five years," energy secretary Ajay Yadav said while presenting the roadmap at the CII State Session in New Delhi on August 6. Of the proposed investment, Rs.81,779 crore has been earmarked for generation, including 1,557 MW of upcoming renewable energy projects, Bihar's first 150 MW solar park at Aurangabad, 10 lakh rooftop solar installations and 2,400 MW of pumped storage projects. The plan also includes preliminary proposals for 1,400 MW of nuclear power capacity each at Nawada, Banka and Siwan. Yadav said the ongoing project pipeline includes the 660 MW Buxar thermal power plant, the 2,400 MW Pirpainti thermal project, and the 1,440 MW Nabinagar stage-II project, in addition to battery energy storage systems and large-scale transmission and distribution infrastructure, said Yadav. The state is pitching the investment roadmap to private investors, leveraging its sector-specific policy framework, which includes the Renewable Energy Policy 2025, Pumped Storage Policy 2025, Industrial Investment Promotion Package 2025 and Startup Policy 2022. The policies offer incentives including transmission-charge waivers, tax benefits, concessional land, interest subvention and single-window clearances. Bihar has set a target of 24 GW of renewable energy capacity and 6 GWh of energy storage by 2030, Yadav said. The energy secretary's presentation also also highlighted the transformation of Bihar's power sector over the past two decades. The number of electricity consumers has risen from 17 lakh in 2005 to 3.36 crore in 2026, while average power availability has increased from nine hours to 24 hours a day. Per capita electricity consumption has also increased more than five-fold, alongside a substantial expansion of transmission lines, substations and evacuation capacity. The state's distribution utilities have also reported a sharp financial turnaround. The two DISCOMs are projected to post a combined Rs.2,375 crore profit in FY26, against a Rs.342 crore loss in FY14. AT&C losses have fallen to 11.54%, below the national average of 15.04%, while the utilities are targeting single-digit losses and eventual stock market listing. The state transmission utility, BSPTCL, has similarly moved from a Rs.25 crore loss in FY14 to a projected Rs.263 crore profit in FY26, with revenue rising to Rs.1,882 crore. With peak demand projected to rise from 8,752 MW in FY26 to 11,747 MW by FY30, the state plans significant investments in transmission infrastructure. BSPTCL also aims to become the first state transmission utility in India to be listed on the National Stock Exchange in the next few years. The energy department attributed the turnaround to measures including the installation of more than 92 lakh smart prepaid meters, billing efficiency of 88.46%, 100% collection efficiency, faster vendor payments, timely regulatory approvals and state support through subsidies and capital infusion. The smart-metering programme, it said, has helped plug revenue leakages and strengthen the financial health of the power sector....