Power ministry proposes national electricity data-sharing framework

Power Ministry proposes a unified electricity data framework to standardise and share renewable, grid and market data via a national digital platform

The Ministry of Power has released a draft National Electricity Data Sharing Framework to create a unified platform for data on renewable energy, generation, transmission, distribution, grid operations and power markets.

 

The framework aims to address the sector’s fragmented data ecosystem, where operational, planning, commercial and consumer data are spread across generating, transmission and distribution companies, Load Despatch Centres, electricity regulatory commissions and other government agencies.

 

“These datasets are currently fragmented, follow inconsistent formats and lack a unified access and standardisation framework,” the ministry said, adding that the gaps limit visibility for policymakers, regulators and researchers.

 

According to experts, the power sector has traditionally been closed when it comes to data, and the new plan seeks to establish common principles for secure and transparent data sharing.

   

The framework proposes comprehensive metadata cataloguing and common reporting standards to improve data discoverability, consistency and interoperability. However, adoption will remain voluntary.

 

“While the framework is currently voluntary, recognising that the government cannot immediately mandate data sharing across every entity, it lays the foundation for a more robust data governance ecosystem. As institutions progressively align with the framework, the quality, accessibility and transparency of power sector data will steadily improve,” said Vikas Gaba, Partner and National Head, Power and Utilities, KPMG.

 

A key objective is to make datasets machine-readable and accessible through secure application programming interfaces (APIs), allowing authorised users to integrate datasets directly into their applications and analytical models.

 

The framework also proposes setting up a National Electricity Data Centre (NEDC) and a National Electricity Data Portal (NEDP) to facilitate data sharing across the country.

 

The draft proposes public access to data on installed capacity, aggregated renewable energy statistics, state-wise generation mix, annual energy balance summaries, and market volume and price data. More granular information, including detailed load-flow cases, feeder-level operational data, outage data, and de-identified smart meter and other consumer meter data, will be available only to registered users.

 

Gaba said the next phase of power sector digitalisation would require standardised, dynamic datasets to support AI-driven analytics, forecasting, digital twins and other advanced digital services.

 

Data issuers must publish metadata catalogues and designate Data Governance Officers within 12 months of adopting the framework. Within 18 months, metadata for all public datasets must be available on the NEDC portal in a standardised, machine-readable format. Catalogues must be updated every six months, while new datasets must be added within 90 working days of creation or acquisition.

 

The framework also proposes a two-level grievance redressal mechanism for data access requests. Additionally, the Central Electricity Authority will prescribe the data structure and format for publishing datasets.

 

The draft is open for public comments until July 21, 2026.