India's power distribution companies (DISCOMs) must speed up their shift towards intelligent, reliable, and consumer-focused networks, stated Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday. Emphasising that technology adoption must go hand-in-hand with greater consumer engagement, Khattar outlined a vision for a modernised electricity grid.
Call for Action at National AI Conference
The minister was addressing a two-day National Conference on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in the power distribution sector. The event was held at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. According to reports from ANI, Khattar urged DISCOMs to collaborate closely with all ecosystem stakeholders to fast-track the transition to smart distribution systems.
Khattar stressed that active engagement with consumers was critical for this transformation. He highlighted the need to tackle misinformation surrounding new technologies and to secure public support for their widespread adoption. The minister also commended the strong participation from industry, state representatives, innovators, academia, and technology partners at the conference.
Showcasing Transformative AI Solutions
Khattar expressed appreciation for the AI and ML-based solutions displayed by various entities, including distribution companies, advanced metering infrastructure providers, and technology solution firms. He noted these innovations hold significant potential to revolutionise both consumer experience and operational efficiency within the power sector.
The minister pointed to several key applications as enablers for building intelligent and self-optimising networks:
- Smart meter analytics and digital twins
- Predictive maintenance and theft detection intelligence
- Appliance-level consumer insights
- Automated outage prediction systems
- Generative AI-based decision support tools
According to Khattar, these technologies can help restore consumer trust, empower households to manage their electricity consumption, and prevent outages. They also protect honest consumers from bearing costs related to power theft. For DISCOMs, the benefits include reducing aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses, optimising power purchase costs, and freeing up capital for infrastructure reinvestment.
This comprehensive adoption positions India to become a global leader in digital electricity reform and future-ready grid governance, the minister asserted.
Government's Commitment to Digitalisation
Echoing the minister's vision, Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal, who also spoke at the conference, reiterated the ministry's commitment to deepening digitalisation across all DISCOMs. The focus is on promoting AI and ML adoption that delivers clear, measurable operational and financial improvements.
Agarwal underlined the importance of three foundational pillars for success: capacity building within utilities, establishing secure data-sharing frameworks, and ensuring interoperability between systems. These steps are essential to ensure that the promising solutions demonstrated at the conference can be scaled effectively across the nation, thereby supporting India's broader energy transition goals.
The conference served as a significant platform aligning government policy, utility operations, and technological innovation towards building a more resilient and consumer-friendly power sector for India.
