Indore Among Five Cities Selected For Smart Power Grid System In India

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In a bid to modernise India's power distribution infrastructure, Indore has been selected as one of five cities for the implementation of a state-of-the-art smart grid distribution system.

On the directives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Power Ministry is driving efforts to minimise power disruptions and upgrade the distribution network.

Indore is the only city from Madhya Pradesh that has been chosen for the initiative, with the remaining cities being Varanasi, Patna, Guwahati, and Delhi. As part of the transformation, all power lines in these cities will gradually be moved underground, which will not only enhance transportation but also significantly reduce power losses and system tripping.

The grids will be based on geographic information system (GIS) technology, requiring minimal land—just 200 to 300 square feet. This overhaul promises to improve urban living by ensuring reliable power supply, reducing the number and duration of outages, and supporting the cities' rapid development.

For Indore, the plan includes the construction of “25 smart grids”, creating a ring system to streamline the city’s power distribution. Thousands of kilometres of underground electricity lines will be laid, with multiple ducts built to facilitate line operations.

The entire network will be managed by an advanced SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system, enabling real-time monitoring of tripping and faults. The initiative will see an investment of over Rs 2,000 crore, covering the construction of new grids, underground cable work, installation of SCADA systems, and renovation of existing grids.

This massive infrastructure upgrade is designed to meet the needs of Indore's projected population of 50 lakh over the next decade, as well as its 12 lakh electricity consumers.

Madhya Pradesh West Zone Electricity Distribution Company managing director AmitTomar said that the new system would significantly enhance consumer facilities and ensure seamless power supply. “In case of a fault in one grid, power will automatically be restored from an alternate source within minutes.

This initiative marks a major step forward in India's commitment to building a resilient and efficient power infrastructure,” he added.