Power Ministry Proposes Voluntary National Electricity Data Sharing Framework
The Ministry of Power has released a draft National Electricity Data Sharing Framework proposing a voluntary, standardised mechanism for secure and transparent sharing of electricity sector data through a National Electricity Data Centre and National Electricity Data Portal.
June 30, 2026. By Mrinmoy Dey
The draft framework envisages the establishment of a National Electricity Data Centre (NEDC) and a National Electricity Data Portal (NEDP) to enable standardised publication and discovery of electricity sector datasets. While adoption of the framework by sectoral entities will remain voluntary, the proposed NEDC and NEDP are intended to create a nationwide data-sharing ecosystem.
According to the draft, the framework will cover data generated and maintained by generating companies, transmission and distribution licensees, Load Despatch Centres, electricity regulatory commissions, Central and State agencies such as the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Central Transmission Utility (CTU), State Transmission Utilities (STUs), Grid India, power exchanges, trading licensees, aggregators and other market participants. However, sensitive information such as cyber defence protocols, strategic telemetry, transmission corridor vulnerabilities and power exchange bid data before market clearing will remain outside its scope.
The proposed framework aims to enable secure, structured and non-discriminatory access to electricity sector data for planning, operations, regulation and research. It also seeks to standardise dataset classification, establish transparent governance mechanisms, promote anonymisation of consumer-related information in line with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, facilitate interoperability with adjacent sectors, and support consent-based data sharing through the India Energy Stack.
To strengthen governance, the framework proposes that each participating organisation appoint a Data Governance Officer (DGO) responsible for dataset classification, processing data requests, executing user agreements or non-disclosure agreements, handling grievances and ensuring data quality, version control and lifecycle management. Data issuers may also levy reasonable access fees for commercial use of datasets, while public datasets would remain free for viewing and academic institutions could receive concessional or free access for research purposes. Government agencies and statutory authorities would not be charged.
The framework introduces a two-tier classification system for shareable datasets. Tier 1 comprises public datasets that can be openly accessed without posing risks to operations, privacy or national security, such as installed capacity, renewable energy statistics and market price data. Tier 2 covers access-controlled datasets that require registration and Know Your Customer (KYC) verification before access. These include detailed load flow studies, feeder-level operational data, de-identified smart meter information and certain industrial feeder datasets.
Before sharing any consumer-related information, data issuers would be required to apply de-identification techniques such as anonymisation, pseudonymisation, tokenisation, aggregation, value banding, spatial displacement or suppression, in accordance with applicable MeitY guidelines. The framework also requires documentation of the de-identification process, classification tier and residual risk assessment for each derived dataset.
For data exchange, the draft proposes that datasets remain hosted by the originating organisation, except where public datasets are voluntarily published through the NEDC. Access-controlled datasets may be shared through secure APIs, Secure Data Environments (SDEs) or other approved mechanisms aligned with the Government's Open API Policy and India Energy Stack architecture. Data issuers operating legacy systems may deploy data wrappers to enable interoperability.
Every participating organisation would also be required to publish metadata describing each dataset, including its purpose, structure, source, update frequency and classification. Within 12 months of adopting the framework, data issuers are expected to publish a complete metadata catalogue and identify their designated Data Governance Officer. Metadata for public datasets should become discoverable through the NEDC portal within 18 months, while catalogues must be updated at least every six months.
The framework assigns the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) responsibility for developing standard data structures and formats to ensure interoperability across the sector. It also encourages integration with adjacent sectors such as transport, urban planning, climate action and financial services by aligning metadata with the national data platform and India Energy Stack. Priority use cases identified include electric vehicle charging infrastructure planning, building energy efficiency, climate reporting and green finance.
Recognising that implementation may require upgrades to existing IT systems, the draft states that electricity regulatory commissions may allow regulated entities to recover prudent implementation costs through the Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) process. It also mandates compliance with cybersecurity guidelines issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Ministry of Power, CERT-In and the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC). Infrastructure hosting the data must undergo vulnerability assessments, penetration testing and access control validation before being made operational.
The framework also includes an indicative list of public datasets that may be published through the NEDC, covering generation, transmission, distribution, renewable energy, demand, grid operations, tariffs, government schemes and planning documents. These include renewable energy capacity additions, transmission infrastructure, smart metering rollout, power market prices, electricity demand forecasts and scheme implementation progress.
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