AI WINDFALL IN ENERGY

The future of electricity lies in smart use of data and storage, turning complexity into opportunity. AI can drive efficiency, integrate renewables, and reshape energy systems, delivering major economic and climate gains if its own energy use is managed wisely.

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The recent announcement of GST rate cuts has come as a significant relief for the power sector, particularly benefiting renewable energy players. Lower taxes have built investor confidence and accelerated project deployment, marking a crucial step toward the government's vision of 'Viksit Bharat'. While policy support is essential, another transformative force is quietly reshaping the sector: Artificial Intelligence. AI is emerging as a silent enabler, bringing drastic change in the power domain, leading the country towards achieving its 2070 goals along with uninterrupted power availability.

The impact of such interventions is best measured through successful pilots. A pilot succeeds when it generates tangible returns on investment and advances core utility objectives, such as power reliability and quality of service. In practice, pilots often achieve far more than their initial mandate. The real measure of a utility's effectiveness is whether a solution enhances its ability to deliver uninterrupted, high-quality electricity. This includes reducing losses, managing critical assets, and expanding connections while maintaining efficiency. A compelling example comes from Jaipur, where a utility leveraged AI-driven drones for inspections. Beyond uncovering electricity theft, the exercise revealed overloaded transformers and encouraged communities to shift toward formal electricity connections. This approach not only increased revenue but also improved service quality, demonstrating how AI can deliver multidimensional benefits beyond its immediate application.