Global information technology player IBM on Thursday said it has been selected by Tata Power Delhi Distribution (TPDDL), the electricity supplier in the national capital, to conceptualise, design and deliver an advanced smart grid solution.
The IT-enabled solution will help collect and analyse real-time information from smart meters, which will enable Tata Power Delhi Distribution to better manage energy output and further reduce outages.
As a part of its smart grid initiative, Tata Power Delhi Distribution will collaborate with IBM to develop an advanced metering infrastructure and demand response pilot program that will automate and regulate supply of electricity to consumers in sync with the fluctuating demand.
This project will help add a layer of digital intelligence to the grid and ensure reliability when the demand rises exponentially and the supply falls due to heavy consumption. In addition, this will provide customer service improvements including new digital meters, enhanced self-service options and access to a customer portal to manage energy use.
"TPDDL is committed to accelerating the smart grid deployment which will give customers more visibility and control in managing their energy usage and transform the network into a robust, secure and intelligent system,” said Praveer Sinha, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Tata Power Delhi Distribution.
In India, aggregated technical and commercial (AT&C) losses that occur due to electricity transmission and energy theft are estimated at about 26.4 per cent on a national average. The Government has launched the Restructured-Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Program (R-APDRP) with the aim to reduce these losses in the country and to improve the power distribution sector of state utilities, during the 11th Five-Year Plan period, 2007-2012.
“In the near future, utilities will look to integrate insights into their traditional grid operation solutions and also into customer, energy management and environmental domains,” said Rahul Sharma, Executive Director and Partner, Global Business Services, IBM India & South Asia. “The advanced meter management solution builds real-time intelligence into the system, integrating information into business and operations systems quickly and easily.”