AI, ML to drive consumer-centric, smart power distribution: Power Minister

New Delhi: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) will be central to building intelligent, consumer-centric, and self-optimizing power distribution networks in India, Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal said on Friday. He was addressing a two-day National Conference on the implementation of AI/ML technologies in the power distribution sector at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

PSU Watch is now on Whatsapp Channels. Click here to join

The Minister said AI/ML-driven solutions, such as smart meter analytics, predictive maintenance, digital twins, automated outage prediction, theft detection, and GenAI-based decision support systems, have the potential to significantly enhance consumer experience while improving efficiency of distribution companies (DISCOMs).

Lal appreciated the participation of industry stakeholders, state utilities, academia, and technology innovators at the conference, and lauded the AI/ML applications showcased by DISCOMs, Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Providers (AMISPs), Technology Solution Providers (TSPs) and Home Automation Solution Providers (HASPs).

He urged DISCOMs to collaborate closely with the ecosystem to build reliable and consumer-focused distribution systems, while stressing the need for consumer engagement and awareness. “It is important to remove misinformation that sometimes surrounds new technologies and to win the valuable support of consumers for technology adoption in the sector,” he noted.

The Minister said AI/ML initiatives present a “powerful narrative” of technology restoring trust, enabling households to manage consumption, preventing outages, protecting honest consumers from theft, and helping DISCOMs optimise power purchase costs and reinvest in infrastructure. He added that such initiatives could position India as a global leader in digital electricity reform and future-ready grid governance.

Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal reiterated the Ministry’s focus on digitalisation across DISCOMs and scaling AI/ML-based solutions that deliver measurable operational and financial gains. He emphasised the importance of capacity building, secure data-sharing mechanisms, and interoperability to ensure that innovations showcased at the conference can be deployed nationwide to support India’s energy transition.

The National Conference received 195 applications through a national innovation call, from DISCOMs, AMISPs, technology providers and home automation firms. Of these, 51 solutions were shortlisted for jury evaluation on Day 1 of the event. Following assessments, Tamil Nadu’s TNPDCL and MP East were declared winners in the DISCOM category; Tata Power and Apraava in the AMISP category; Pravah and Flock Energy in the solution provider category; and Tata Power in the home automation category.

The winning presentations included smart meter analytics for revenue protection, improved consumer indexing to reduce losses, AI-based behavioural demand response, real-time grid intelligence, and consumer-friendly home energy monitoring solutions. Lal felicitated the winners and encouraged them to scale their solutions across states.

At the event, the Minister also launched STELLAR (Strategic Expansion for Long Term Load Adequacy and Resilience), developed by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), to support DISCOMs in conducting resource adequacy studies and preparing long-term plans. In addition, India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF) released a Handbook on AI, ML, AR/VR and Robotics Solutions, featuring 174 use cases, including 45 from Indian utilities.

(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Google News. Click here to follow. Also, join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram. You may also follow us on Twitter here and stay updated.)