India Smart Grid A smart grid is an electrical grid with automation, communication and IT systems that can monitor power flows from points of generation to points ofmconsumption (even down to the appliances level) and control the power flow or curtail the load to match generation in real time or near realtime. The increased visibility, predict ability, and even control of generation and demand bring flexibility to both generation and consumption and enable the utility to better integrate intermittent renewable generation and also reduce costs of peak power. If the traditional grid was made secure only through over-engineering, a smart grid is cost-effective, nimble, responsive, and better engineered for reliability and self-healing operations. The traditional electric grid will need to build additional layers of automation, communication and IT systems to transform it to a smarter grid.
Some of the applications or building blocks of a smart grid (some of which are already being deployed worldwide, including in India), are: Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems (SCADA) with Energy Management Systems (EMS) and Distribution Management Systems (DMS) Enterprise IT network covering all substations etc.
The Smart Grid Vision and Roadmap offers a series of time-framed, specific, target driven measures, across these different areas, with which to enable the development of an Indian Smart grid model. It offers hundereds of millions of Indians are possibility of accessible, reliable power: a fundamental requirement of inclusive growth.