Power Minister Highlights AI/ML's Transformative Role in Distribution SectorThe Minister was addressing participants of the two-day National Conference focusing on the use of AI/ML technologies in the power distribution sector at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) based applications will play a pivotal role in building intelligent, consumer-centric, self-optimising distribution networks, said Manohar Lal, Minister of Power.

He noted that AI/ML based solutions, smart meter analytics, digital twins, predictive maintenance, theft detection intelligence, appliance-level consumer insights, automated outage prediction and GenAI-based decision support can transform both consumer experience and operational efficiency.

Manohar Lal lauded the active participation of industry, states, innovators, academia and technology partners at the National Conference. He appreciated the AI/ML solutions presented by Distribution Companies (DISCOMs), Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Providers (AMISPs), Technology Solution Providers (TSPs) and Home Automation Solution Providers (HASPs).

The Minister urged all DISCOMs to work closely with ecosystem stakeholders to transition towards smart, reliable and consumer-focused distribution systems. He remarked that there was also a need to engage consumers. It is important to remove misinformation that sometimes surrounds new technologies and to win the support of consumers for technology adoption in the sector.

Lal noted that AI/ML based solutions highlight a narrative of technology restoring trust, empowering households to manage consumption better, preventing outages before they occur, protecting honest consumers from theft burdens and enabling DISCOMs to reduce losses, optimise power purchase costs and reinvest in stronger infrastructure—positioning India as a global leader in digital electricity reform and future-ready grid governance.

Speaking at the National Conference, Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power, highlighted the Ministry’s commitment to strengthen digitalisation across DISCOMs and promote adoption of AI/ML based solutions that deliver measurable operational and financial improvements. He stressed the importance of capacity building, secure data-sharing frameworks and interoperability to ensure that innovations showcased during the conference can be scaled nationwide to facilitate the energy transition across the country.

The Conference involved a national call for innovation, and 195 applications were received from DISCOMs, AMISPs, Technology Solution Providers (TSPs) and Home Automation Solution Providers. After initial screening, 51 solutions were shortlisted for detailed jury evaluation on Day 1 (6 December 2025) of the Conference.

Following detailed evaluation, the TNPDCL (Tamil Nadu) and MP East (MP) in the DISCOMs category, Tata Power and Apraava in the AMISP category, Pravah and Flock Energy in the Solution Provider category and Tata Power in the Home Automation Solution category were declared the winners.

The winners made their presentations which highlighted data-driven innovations like advanced smart meter analytics for revenue protection by Tamil Nadu and accurate consumer indexing to reduce losses by MP East. AMISPs like TP Power Plus and Apraava Energy demonstrated behavioural demand response and AI-based operational automation, while TSPs such as Pravah and Flock Energy showcased unified real-time grid intelligence and consumer appliance analytics. Tata Power showcased a user-friendly solution for monitoring and controlling energy use.

The winners were felicitated by the Minister of Power and he encouraged them to scale up such solutions across states.