NEW DELHI – Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will be key drivers in modernising India’s power distribution systems, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal said while addressing a two-day national conference on AI and ML in the power sector at Bharat Mandapam. He said these technologies will enable intelligent, consumer-centric and self-optimising electricity networks, improving both operational efficiency and customer experience. AI-enabled applications such as smart meter analytics, predictive maintenance, theft detection, outage prediction, digital twins and GenAI-based decision support can help reduce losses, lower power purchase costs and strengthen grid reliability, while also empowering consumers to manage their electricity consumption more effectively.
Highlighting the need for collaboration among DISCOMs, technology partners, innovators and academia, the Minister stressed the importance of building consumer trust and addressing misinformation around new technologies. Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal reaffirmed the government’s commitment to accelerating digitalisation, focusing on capacity building, secure data-sharing and interoperability. During the conference, winners of a national innovation challenge showcased AI-driven use cases, while the Minister also launched the STELLAR resource adequacy planning tool developed by the Central Electricity Authority. Additionally, the India Smart Grid Forum released a handbook detailing AI, ML and robotics-based utility solutions to support nationwide adoption of advanced technologies.
