PowerMin aims for electricity access to all households by 2017

The ministry envisages aggregate transmission and commercial losses coming to below 15% by 2017

The Union power ministry proposes to establish a  National Smart Grid Mission  (NSGM) by 2014, on the lines of  the National Mission  for  Electric Mobility launched  recently by the ministry  of  heavy industries.

The objective is to transform the sector into a secure, adaptive, sustainable and digitally-enabled system, providing reliable and quality energy for all, with active participation of stakeholders.

In its 'Smart Grid Vision and Road Map for India’, issued last week, the ministry proposes to supply power to all households by 2017 through smart grid technologies under the NSGM. The market size of smart grid projects envisioned is $30-40 billion in the next 15-20 years, at the current price.

The ministry aims to put in place policies and programmes to provide access to electricity for all with uninterrupted supply of a daily minimum of eight hours by 2017, and continuous improvement in supply. It envisages aggregate transmission and commercial losses coming to below 15 per cent by 2017, below 12 per cent by 2022 and below 10 per cent by 2027. It proposes full rollout of smart grids in pilot project areas by 2017, in major urban areas by 2022 and nationwide by 2027.

Also, the plan is to formulate effective customer outreach and communication for active involvement of consumers in smart grid implementation. State/utility-specific road maps will be developed for  implementation  of  smart  grid technologies by 2014.