CPRI Inaugurates Advanced Regional Testing Laboratory in Nashik to Boost Power Sector.

On September 10, 2025, the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI), under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, inaugurated its new Regional Testing Laboratory (RTL) at Shilapur, near Nashik, Maharashtra, to enhance testing, certification, and quality assurance for electrical and power equipment in western India.

      - The inauguration was presided over by Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Shri Manohar Lal Khattar, along with Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis, and attended by state ministers including Shri Chhagan Bhujbal and Shri Girish Mahajan.

      - The RTL is located on a 100-acre site about 13 km from Nashik city, developed with a CPRI investment of over ₹200 crore and land provided at a nominal rate by the Maharashtra government.

      - This facility, the seventh Regional Testing Laboratory of CPRI in India, is equipped to test transformers, energy meters, smart meters, and transformer oil, significantly reducing turnaround time by avoiding shipment to distant labs in Hyderabad or Bhopal.

Main Point :-   (i) The laboratory is expected to support Maharashtra’s growing electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing industry, aiding local manufacturers and strengthening the state’s position as a key hub for EV production and advanced electrical infrastructure.

      (ii) The RTL aligns with India’s vision of technological advancement and self-reliance in the power sector, enhancing quality assurance and safety standards across western India.