(a) whether the Government is considering to leverage Information Technology (IT) to minimize pilferage of electricity distribution;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government is conducting any workshops on use of IT to minimise electricity pilferage; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY
(SHRI R.K. SINGH)
(a) & (b) : IT enablement of the Distribution sector has remained one of the major thrust areas under various centrally sponsored schemes. IT enablement was taken up in 1260 towns under R-APDRP, Part-A. Further, to expand the coverage of IT enablement of distribution business to non-RAPDRP areas, based on the DPRs received from States/Utilities, Ministry of Power approved IT enablement of an additional 1651 towns under IPDS (IT Phase II). The implementation of IT Phase II works in these towns has been taken up with an objective to enable Discoms to improve consumer satisfaction, monitoring, carryout effective energy accounting and auditing based on use of IT enabled System.
Further, the Government of India have recently launched a Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme which provides financial assistance to Distribution Utilities linked to reforms and improvement of performance. The scheme envisages following Information Technology (IT) interventions to facilitate AT&C losses reduction:
(i) Smart Metering:
Smart Metering of Consumers and System Metering (i.e. metering of Feeders and Distribution Transformers) is one of the major components under the scheme to facilitate automatic measurement of energy flows and energy accounting as well as auditing without any human intervention. The scheme envisages that along with installation of prepaid Smart Metering and the associated Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), installation of communicable System meters at Feeder and Distribution Transformer level will enable proper energy accounting for identification of theft prone pockets and high loss areas.
(ii) Advanced ICT including AI and ML based solutions:
The scheme envisages leveraging Artificial Intelligence to analyse data generated through IT/OT devices including System Meters, prepaid Smart meters to prepare actionable MIS from system generated energy accounting reports so as to enable the DISCOMs take informed decisions on loss reduction, demand forecasting, asset management, consumer analytics and for other predictive analysis.
(iii) Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Distribution Management System (DMS) in urban areas
(c) & (d) : Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has recently notified the Conduct of Energy Audit in Distribution Companies Regulations, 2021, which entail a progressive move towards IT enabled Energy Accounting methodology. To sensitize DISCOM officials about annual energy audit and periodic energy accounting in Electricity Distribution regulations, BEE has undertaken webinars and also organized a Workshop on 6th December, 2021.
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