India's PowerGrid explores use of smart grid to trim losses

Power Grid Corporation is exploring the possibility of setting up a ’smart grid’ on pilot basis to reduce transmission and distribution loss.

It could also control theft, ensure better availability in rural areas and increase reliability and quality of supply in urban areas.

“We do not have smart grid technology in the country. We are just lifting power and transmitting it. But now we have to think beyond that. Therefore, we are exploring possibilities of setting up a smart grid on a pilot basis,” PowerGrid chairman and managing director R N Nayak said.

“We plan to convene a meeting in December with all the stakeholders, including manufacturers/suppliers of equipment, companies involved in the transmission and distribution, developers of green technology and other related industries, to chalk out a plan for a pilot. We want to build a smart city that can be a model for power distribution and consumption.”

Nayak also hinted at signing of MoUs with stakeholders for developing the project. “We are in the process of identifying a city where the population is small and people are educated. We want all types of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, etc to set up there. The plan is to have smart meters, electric vehicles and other such systems that will enable reduce T&D losses and access of power to rural areas and reliability and quality of power to urban areas,” he said.

He also emphasised the need to develop reactors indigenously. “It is time we came up with
our own technologies to develop reactors indigenously.”