A) Introduction

Power Exchange India Limited (PXIL) is one of India’s premier power exchanges, providing an electronic platform for trading electricity. Established in 2008, PXIL is a public-private initiative under the aegis of the Power Market Regulations. The exchange connects power generators, distribution companies, and other market participants, enabling efficient and competitive electricity procurement. FY 2024-25 marked PXIL’s seventeenth year of operation.

PXIL operates its trading platform under the brand name ‘PRATYAY’.

B) What PXIL Does

PXIL facilitates the trading of electricity and related products through its platform. It operates under the supervision of the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC). The exchange offers market participants a platform to trade in various electricity market segments, including:

1. Day-Ahead Market (DAM): A marketplace for buyers and sellers to trade electricity for the next day. PXIL also operates a Green Day-Ahead Market (G-DAM) for renewable energy.
2. Real Time Market (RTM): Introduced to allow participants to buy and sell power closer to the time of delivery, with delivery within an hour of the auction session.
3. Term-Ahead Market (TAM): Includes Intra-day, Day Ahead Contingency (DAC), Daily and Weekly contracts. PXIL has also sought CERC approval to extend delivery duration to 11-month ahead contracts, and to introduce High Price bilateral contracts in the Contingency and TAM segments.
4. Renewable Energy Certificates (REC): A mechanism for promoting renewable energy, enabling obligated entities to meet their Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO). PXIL is working to introduce new REC contracts under REC Regulations 2022, including continuous matching, single-sided forward auction and single-sided reverse auction contracts.
5. Energy Saving Certificates (ESCerts): Certificates traded by companies under the Perform, Achieve, and Trade (PAT) scheme, incentivizing energy efficiency.

Operational performance (FY 2024-25):

C) Business Model

PXIL’s business model revolves around providing a platform for electricity trading while charging transaction fees for services rendered. Its operations focus on:

1. Transaction Fees: Based on the volume of electricity traded — PXIL’s principal revenue driver, contributing ₹5,192.96 lakh in FY 2024-25 (up from ₹3,648.08 lakh in FY 2023-24).
2. REC Transaction Charges: Fees from Renewable Energy Certificate trading, contributing ₹2,417.19 lakh in FY 2024-25 (up from ₹1,649.14 lakh).
3. Platform Access Fees: Admission and annual subscription fees charged to participants for registering and using the exchange (₹97.40 lakh in FY 2024-25).
4. Innovation: PXIL focuses on launching new products to meet evolving energy demands. The company is exploring Peer-to-Peer trading, Capacity Market contracts, a Coal Exchange platform, and the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS). It has engaged M/s Deloitte as strategy consultant to develop a roadmap for future growth.

Additionally, the company earns substantial other income from treasury operations, primarily interest on fixed deposits (₹1,084.98 lakh in FY 2024-25).

Financial performance (FY 2024-25):

The company paid a dividend of ₹877.05 lakh during FY 2024-25.

D) Investors in Power Exchange

As of 31st March 2025, PXIL’s shareholders holding more than 5% equity are:

1. National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. (NSE): 1,46,14,938 shares — 25.00% (promoter). A leading stock exchange, providing financial backing and operational expertise.
2. National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange Ltd. (NCDEX): 99,76,605 shares — 17.06% (promoter). A prominent player in commodity exchanges, adding strategic value.
3. Tata Power Company Ltd.: 40,00,000 shares — 6.84%
4. GMR Energy Trading Ltd.: 32,20,000 shares — 5.51%
5. NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd. (NVVN): 29,23,502 shares — 5.00%. A wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC Ltd., which acquired its stake in January 2022.
6. Jindal Power Ltd.: 29,23,503 shares — 5.00%

Total promoter holding (NSE + NCDEX) stands at 2,45,91,543 shares. Total issued equity is 5,84,70,050 shares (₹5,847.01 lakh).

Note on shareholding compliance: During FY 2024-25, NSE’s holding increased by 4.21% and NCDEX’s by 16.02%, as PXIL worked to align its ownership structure with CERC’s prescribed shareholding norms under the Power Market Regulations, 2021.

E) Market Context

India’s short-term power market transacted 238.35 BU in FY 2024-25, up 9.2% from 218.22 BU in FY 2023-24, representing 13.03% of total generation of 1,829.70 BU. Power exchange volumes within this grew 18.3% to 143.75 BU.

Outlook: Key developments to watch include the pilot phase of Market Coupling (which will discover a single uniform price across all exchanges) and implementation of the Ministry of Power report on ‘Development of Electricity Market in India’, which recommends introduction of Capacity Contracts among other measures.