India to set up Smart Grid Task Force

The Government of India has decided to set up Smart Grid task force under the chairmanship of Sam Pitroda. Pitroda serves as an adviser  on Innovation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. According to Sushil Kumar Shinde, Minister of Power, the task force will be an inter-ministerial group which will be the focal point for all Smart Grid related activities. The experts associated with the process mentioned that the Smart Grid will also include dynamic pricing mechanism just like it is going to be implemented in advanced countries like USA. However, it is  very early to say that such features will be available as India is not mature market like Europe or USA.  The immediate benefit will be reduction in T&D losses and power theft. The information about energy usage will be available per second per home, hence energy will  be effectively managed for its optimum utilization.

Experts at IPMT indicated Smart Grid will be established by networking the entire power distribution network through IT infrastructure. While developing Smart Grid policy, the task force also needs to keep in mind about privacy concerns of the users as well as security of the grid.

The project is already being tested under the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Program (R-APDRP) on the pilot bases. Though R-APDRP may be the early version of Smart Grid, It won't be Smart Grid until all the components of Smart Grid are included. 

"A few well-thought smart grid pilots are envisaged under R-APDRP to validate the technology in Indian conditions and explore the possibility of leapfrogging," Shinde said.