Smart prepaid metering rollout reshapes utility operations across India

The way the Indian power system is changing as renewables' penetration increases.

- Mukesh Hingar

It poses new challenges and opportunities for the distribution grid, especially for distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar PVs and EVs. Traditional grid planning approaches are no longer adequate to manage bidirectional flows, voltage fluctuations, and demand uncertainties. In this context, distribution network analytics has emerged as a critical facilitator for smart utility operations. A digital distribution platform allows utilities to visualise their entire network with detailed asset mapping, integrate loads and distributed generators onto a single interface, and provide access across departments for coordinated planning and operations. Such platforms support advanced simulations and data-driven decision-making, which helps utilities move from reactive maintenance to proactive grid management.

Grid analytics