For registration process/payment to attend the conference, please contact:
Ishan Arora
Email: ishan.arora@indiainfrastructure.com
Mobile: +91-9582971760

• We are offering a special fee of only Rs. 7,000 + GST to all the Discoms.
• GST @18 per cent is applicable on the registration fee.
• Registration will be confirmed on receipt of the payment.

For sponsorship opportunities and queries contact:
Ishan Arora
Email: ishan.arora@indiainfrastructure.com
Tel: +91-9582971760

Address:
Le Méridien New Delhi
Windsor Place
New Delhi, 110001 India
Phone:+91 11 2371 0101
Fax:+91 11 2371 4545
Toll-free:+91 1800 11 1415

• Earlier this year, on July 30, 2022, the prime minister formally launched thepower ministry’s flagship reforms-based and results-linked Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) targeted at improving the operational performance and financial sustainability of the power distribution segment. This is thebiggest distribution scheme so far with an outlay of Rs 3 trillion scheme for a period of five years (2021-22 to 2025-26)and attempts to be more result-oriented.The availability of grants under the scheme is subject to discomsachievement of certain performance milestones. Notably, it aims to achieve 100 per cent prepaid smart metering at all levels and eliminate the ACS-ARR gap by 2024-25 while reducing pan-India AT&C losses to 12-15 per cent.
• The latest intervention takes into account the deep-seated issues of poor operational and financial performance of the discomsover the years. The absolute cash adjusted gap (losses) in the distribution segment stood at Rs 1,130 billion in the financial year 2021, 15 per cent higher than the losses of Rs 980 billion registered in the previous year. The per unit adjusted gap has increased from Rs 0.83 per unit to Rs 0.93 per unit during this period. The discom’s current liabilities of Rs 6.56 trillion have created a liquidity crunch in the sector.The national AT&C losseswere recorded at 20.93 per centduring 2020-21.
• Another concern has been the significant disparity among the states with respect to operational and financial performance. The sectoral losses are concentrated in a few states, while some are commanding a surplus. Similarly, AT&C losses are not evenly distributed across the country. While some states report best-in-class losses of 5-13 per cent, others are deeply in the red, with losses exceeding 30 per cent.
• Another challenge that the sector currently faces is the mounting outstanding dues of the state power utilities, which crossed Rs 1.50 trillion in August 2022. To tackle the issue, the MoP has recently notified the Electricity (LPS and Related Matters) Rules, 2022.The scheme allows the discoms to clear the outstanding dues in a maximum of 48 equated monthly instalments.The rules incentivisetimely payment of dues and aim to bring in financial discipline among the power utilities. As of August 2022, major states including Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh with pending power purchase dues of almost Rs 960 billion were complying with the rules.
• On the technology side, as discoms are gathering huge sets of data, new and emerging technologiesare being used to leverage this data for consumer insights and improving business operations. Digital technologies like AI, ML, analytics, IoT, cloud, AR and blockchain are expected to play an even greater role in the distribution segment in the coming years. Robust communication technologies as well as strong cybersecurity are becoming increasingly paramount. On the network side, discoms are investing in system strengthening works such as underground/aerial bunched cabling, HVDS, feeder segregation and substation capacity augmentation, as well as loss reduction initiatives such as better feeder and transformer metering and prepaid smart consumer metering.
• Going forward, a number of reforms are at the anvil to transform the power distribution segment. The Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022, recently introduced in the Lok Sabha, seeks to facilitate the use of distribution networks by all licensees under the provisions of non-discriminatory open access. This aims to enable competition, enhanceefficiency of distribution licensees and ensure sustainability of the power sector. Apart from this, the central government’s plans to privatise power distribution across power departments and utilities in UTs has made progress, with two UT(Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and Chandigarh) successfully awarded and the remaining ones in the pipeline.
• Overall, the timely implementation of government schemes and programmes as well as monitoring of theiron-ground implementation remains crucial for the sector. Besides this, addressing the legacy issues pertaining to untimely tariff revision and buildup of regulatory assets in the sector is important.
• The mission of the conference is to focus on the key trends and developments in the distribution segment, discuss the impact and progress under government schemes and programmes, as well as highlight best practices, new initiatives and future plans of the discoms. The conference will also provide a platform to showcase new and promising technology trends and solutions.

KEY TRENDS AND OUTLOOK

• What have been the key trends in the power distribution segment?
• How has been the operational and financial performance of discoms?
• What are the key issues and concerns? What is the outlook?

GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE

• What are the government’s views on the current state of the distribution segment?
• What has been the progress under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme? What are the expected outcomes?
• What are the government’s key focus areas for the segment going forward?

STATEINITIATIVES

Special sessions with senior officials of five to six leading public discoms discussing

• Key initiatives and achievements
• Progress under RDSS
• Future focus areas and targets
• Capex plans

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

• How has been the experience of private discoms and distribution franchisees?
• What are the opportunities for private sector participation in the segment in the near future?
• What are the biggest issues and challenges? What is their outlook for the segment?

IMPACT OF ELECTRICITY (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2022

• What are the key provisions of the electricity (amendment) bill, 2022 that impact distribution utilities? What is their expected outcome?
• What are the biggest issues and concerns in the implementation ofparallel licences and non-discriminatory open access?
• What are the opportunities? What is the future outlook?

REGULATORS’ PERSPECTIVE

• What is the perspective of regulators on the power distribution segment?
• What are the biggest issues and key areas of concern?
• What arethe top priorities of the regulators?

SMART METERING: POTENTIAL AND PROGRESS

• What are the growth drivers of smart metering? What has been the progress made by utilities?
• What are the implementation challenges?
• What are the expected targets, investments and timelines for smartmetering by utilities?

NSGM AND SMART GRID UPDATE

• What has been the progress on smart grid projects sanctioned under NSGM?
• What has been the implementation experience and outcome so far?
• What are the next steps planned?

FOCUS ON RENEWABLE ENERGY

• What has been the utility experience in the procurement of renewable power?
• What are the biggest issues and challenges faced?
• What are the future renewable procurement plans of utilities? What is the outlook?

EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE

• What is the discom perspective on the EV market in India? What have been the key initiatives in the charging infrastructure space?
• What is the likely impact on power demand and revenue? How would the growth of EVs impact the voltage profile?
• What has been the discoms’ approach so far? What are their future plans?

TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE

• Power Distribution Network Design and Protection
• New and Emerging Cabling Solutions – Aerial Bunched Cables, Underground Cables, etc.
• Intelligent Power Grid
• Advance Metering Infrastructure
• What has been the uptake of advanced technology solutions by the utilities? What are the benefits derived?
• What have been new and emerging requirements of the power utilities?
• What are the biggest issues and challenges? What is the outlook?

ROLE OF POWER EXCHANGES

• What are the current power procurement strategies of the discoms?
• How has been the utility experience in power procurement from the exchanges?
• What is the outlook for short-, medium- and long-term power procurement by discoms over the next one to two years?

OUTLOOK ON FINANCES, COSTS AND TARIFFS

• What is the current state of discom finances? What has been the impact of recent developments on discom finances?
• What has been the trend in the power purchase cost and tariff revisions of discoms?
• What would be discoms’ power procurement strategy going forward?

DISTRIBUTION AUTOMATION AND REMOTE MONITORING SOLUTIONS

• What has been the utility experience in the distribution automation and remote monitoring of assets?
• What are some of the upcomingtechnologies for outage management, asset and load management, etc.?
• What are the biggest issues and concerns?

ENHANCING CONSUMER SERVICES

• What are key measures by discoms to enhance consumer services? How has been the utility experience?
• What are some of the new technologies and solutions being adopted in this regard?
• What is the future outlook?

LOSS REDUCTION AND REVENUE PROTECTION

• What steps are being taken by utilities towardsloss reduction and revenue protection?
• What are the best practices being followed by utilities for AT&C loss reduction?
• What are the key issues and challenges?

CYBERSECURITY

• What are the key cybersecurity-related risks and concerns of utilities?
• What are the new and promising solutions for managing cybersecurity risks?
• What has been the utility experience in cybersecurity strengthening?

The conference will draw participation from:

• Government and policymakers
• Marketers of enterprise software solutions
• State discoms
• Communication/connectivity solution providers
• Private discoms
• Financial institutions
• Distribution franchises
• Meter manufacturers
• Equipment manufacturers
• EPC contractors
• Technology providers
• R&D organisations
• Regulators
• Sector consultants
• IT-based product and service providers
• Cybersecurity solution providers, etc.