Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) based applications will play a decisive role in building intelligent, consumer-centric and self-optimizing power distribution networks, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal said while addressing the two-day National Conference on AI/ML in Power Distribution at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi today.
The conference was organised under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) to promote large-scale adoption of digital technologies across India’s power distribution utilities. Senior officials from the Centre and states, DISCOMs, technology providers, industry leaders, innovators and academia participated in the event.
Highlighting the impact of emerging technologies, the Power Minister said that smart meter analytics, digital twins, predictive maintenance, theft-detection intelligence, appliance-level consumer insights, automated outage prediction and GenAI-based decision support systems have the potential to completely transform consumer experience as well as operational efficiency of DISCOMs.
Manohar Lal appreciated the active participation of Distribution Companies (DISCOMs), Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Providers (AMISPs), Technology Solution Providers (TSPs) and Home Automation Solution Providers (HASPs). He said the solutions presented at the conference reflected the growing maturity of India’s power sector in adopting advanced digital tools.
The Minister urged DISCOMs to work closely with all ecosystem stakeholders to move towards smart, reliable and consumer-focused distribution systems. He stressed the importance of consumer engagement and said misinformation surrounding new technologies must be addressed to ensure public trust and smooth adoption of digital solutions.
He observed that AI and ML-based systems can help restore trust in the electricity sector by empowering households to manage their consumption better, predicting outages before they occur, protecting honest consumers from theft-related losses and enabling DISCOMs to reduce financial losses, optimise power purchase costs and reinvest in stronger infrastructure. He said these efforts position India as a global leader in digital electricity reform and future-ready grid governance.
Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal, in his address, reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening digitalisation across DISCOMs. He said the focus is on adopting AI and ML solutions that deliver measurable operational and financial improvements. He also highlighted the need for large-scale capacity building, secure data-sharing frameworks and strong interoperability standards to ensure that successful innovations can be implemented nationwide.
As part of the national call for innovation, a total of 195 applications were received from DISCOMs, AMISPs, technology solution providers and home automation companies. After detailed screening, 51 solutions were shortlisted for jury evaluation on the first day of the conference held on December 6, 2025.
Following the final evaluation, Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) and MP East Discom were declared winners in the DISCOM category. Tata Power and Apraava Energy won in the AMISP category, Pravah and Flock Energy were selected in the solution provider category, while Tata Power won in the home automation solutions category.
The winning organisations made detailed presentations highlighting data-driven innovations. TNPDCL showcased advanced smart-meter analytics for revenue protection, while MP East demonstrated accurate consumer indexing systems to reduce distribution losses. AMISPs such as TP Power Plus and Apraava Energy presented behavioural demand response tools and AI-based operational automation. Technology providers Pravah and Flock Energy showcased unified real-time grid intelligence and consumer appliance analytics, while Tata Power presented a futuristic and user-friendly solution for monitoring and controlling household energy consumption.
The winners were felicitated by the Power Minister, who encouraged them to scale up these solutions across states for wider national impact.
During the event, Union Power Minister also launched the STELLAR (Strategic Expansion for Long-Term Load Adequacy and Resilience) platform developed by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). The platform will enable DISCOMs to carry out detailed resource adequacy studies and prepare long-term power adequacy plans.
In addition, the India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF) launched a comprehensive handbook on AI, ML, AR/VR and Robotics solutions for electric utilities. The handbook outlines 174 practical use cases, including 45 from Indian utilities, providing a clear roadmap for digital transformation of the power distribution sector.
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