Shripad Naik Calls for AI Adoption to Improve Power Sector Services

India needs to adopt artificial intelligence across the power sector to improve electricity management and service delivery as energy needs evolve. This was stated by Union Minister of State for Power Shripad Naik at a two-day conclave on “Making Indian Power Sector AI Enabled,” organised by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to mark its 53rd Foundation Day.

Naik called for the effective adoption of artificial intelligence across the power sector to improve service delivery, improve efficiency in generation, transmission and distribution, and support the integration of growing renewable energy capacity and electricity management as India’s energy needs evolve.

“The power sector has done well on capacity, renewables and digitalisation, and now we must bring AI into it in a proper way. Whether it is generation, transmission or distribution, AI can help us run the system more efficiently and serve the consumer better,” he said.

With more renewable energy being added to the grid, Naik said, smarter tools would be needed to plan resources and manage supply. He added that policy and technology must advance together to ensure uninterrupted electricity for every household.

India’s installed power generation capacity stood at 558.8 GW as of September 30, of which about 308 GW, or 55 per cent, came from non-fossil sources. The country reached the 50 per cent mark in June 2025, five years ahead of its 2030 target.

Naik also said that about 7.75 crore smart meters had been deployed so far.

Sanjeev Kumar, managing director of GNA Energy, said that the power grid’s challenges were closely linked to how effectively data was used. Discoms hold large volumes of smart-meter data, he said, but much of it is analysed only after events have occurred.

“AI changes that. AI will not just support the grid but manage it. It lets a discom spot a feeder under stress, or a demand spike on its way, and act within the same hour. That is what modernising distribution really means,” Kumar said.

GNA Energy has introduced Vidyut AI, a market analytics and power intelligence platform aligned with the Ministry of Power’s India Energy Stack initiative.

The conclave is being held at the Manekshaw Centre on October 14 and 15. It brings together policymakers, government officials, industry leaders and researchers to discuss AI applications across the electricity value chain.