The India Smart Grid Task Force, an inter-ministerial group formed to improve power sector efficiencies through smart grid technologies, plans to spend up to Rs.600 crore for implementing pilot projects across India.
“We are planning to spend up to Rs.600 crore for about 15 pilot projects related to smart grid technologies. Preliminary framework on smart grid is expected to be ready in the coming 18 months,” Task Force head Sam Pitroda told journalists here on Tuesday.
Mr. Pitroda, who is also Advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Infrastructure, Innovation and Information, said the task force was also working on having a low-cost smart meter which would help in improving efficiency.
The basic aim of having smart grid is to improve overall efficiency of the power sector, especially in transmission and distribution segments, with the help of information technology. The power sector is plagued by theft and transmission losses of over 30 per cent during transmission.
According to Central Power Research Institute's Director General and Task Force member N. Murugesan, “Eight new pilot projects, including those on automated metering infrastructure, are also being planned. Out of them, six would be smaller projects.”
5 working groups
The task force has also set up five working groups, including the one focussed on loss reduction and theft, data gathering and analysis. The working groups are also in the final stages of preparing their reports.
