Power is a critical infrastructure for the growth of Indian economy. Acceleration in the economic growth will depend upon a financially and commercially viable power sector that is able to attract fresh investments.
Business Challenges of Indian Power Utilities
In the wake of the Indian Electricity Act 2003, the process of balancing the commercial objectives vis-à-vis the social concerns has become even more challenging.
Utilities have to re-engineer and automate their business processes for sustainable growth and survival, with the following objectives
Government of India Iinitiatives & Facts about Distribution Sector
- Target to achieve - "Power to all by 2012."
- Investment in technologies for generation, distribution, transmission and monitoring- $100 billion
- T&D losses, averaging 26% of total electricity production, with some states as high as 62%
- Significantly high unmetered sales
- Increase in demand for power is increasing at an annual rate of 8-10%
- Including non-technical losses such as energy theft, average losses are as high as 35%
- R-APDRP (Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme)
- RGGVY
R-APDRP (Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme)
R-APDRP is Governament of India's initiative with focus on establishment of base line data and fixation of accountability and reduction of AT&C losses through strengthening & up-gradation of Sub-Transmission and Distribution network and adoption of Information Technology during XI Plan
Part-A will cover projects for establishment of baseline data and IT applications for energy accounting/auditing & consumer services, while Part-B will cover system improvement, strengthening and augmentation .
- Consumer Indexing, Asset Mapping
- GIS Mapping of the entire distribution network
- Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) on DT & Feeders
- Automatic Data Logging for all Distribution Transformers and Feeders
- SCADA system in big towns / cities
- Feeder Segregation/ Ring Fencing
- IT applications for redressal of consumer grievances, integrated meter reading, billing & collection
- Energy accounting & auditing and MIS
- Establishment of the Base Line data System
Brief Analysis of Distribution Losses – Causes & Remedies
Distribution Losses – Contributes to 75% of total power losses. These losses are primarily due to two components.
(1) Technical: Infrastructure related which contributes for 25% of above losses. This can be reduced through various methods, such as Capacity upgrades, New lines, New DT additions. But this process is Cap-Ex Intensive & Time consuming
(2) Non-Technical: These are commercial in nature and contribute for 50% of total distribution losses. These losses can be reduced through Administrative & Legislative decision process in a shorter time frame with minimum investments through comprehensive Energy billing and audit. Consumer Indexing, Asset Management and Spot billing along with GIS tools help in achieving this objective.
VISIONLABS is a 23 year old company providing integrated solutions for Power vertical. Our indigenous range of products such as Powernet, Vision Mapmaker Granite etc, help in addressing a few of these challenges with the help of our indigenously developed tools in Transmission & Distribution Systems Management for developing better working models such as
- Network extensions and optimization
- Network reconfiguration
- Improved revenue management
- SCADA integration with GIS
- Right of way and compensation
- Handling customer inquiries
- Fault Management
- Planning of Preventive/Routine maintenance
- Fault Location determination based on Geo-referencing
- Topology Analysis & Fault Isolation
- Resource Allocation Tools, Manpower
- Environmental effects with new issues can be addressed
- Consumer Indexing (CIN)
- Requirement analysis
Future Trends/ Concepts in Pipe line:
- SMART GRID – AMI/AMR: A "smart grid" is a set of software and hardware tools that enables generators to route power more efficiently, reducing the need for excess capacity and allowing for two-way, real time information exchange with their customers for real demand time demand side management (DSM)
- Green Energy with Low Carbon Foot Print: Because of the challenges associated with thermal power & Carbon emissions, Generating Companies shall focus on distributed Non-Conventional Energy utilities rather than looking at concentrated bulk power
- GPS based Transmission Line Maintenance: By integrating GIS and IT, we are building Tools which can be used for Operation & Maintenance of Transmission lines (Preventive & Break down)
- GPS based Project Management in the Construction Activity: Similar Technology of GIS & IT combined with Project Management is under development for monitoring construction activity of transmission line. It can also be integrated with SCM tools of various vendors. This Web- based tool helps for critical monitoring of projects by senior management
- Operation Management Application with SCADA Integration: Visionlabs is actively considering to develop Project tools which can be used for integrating SCADA with O&M activities for effective decision making and scheduling maintenance
