Barua sees real test of AI on ability to deploy it reliably
The success of AI in the power sector will be measured by the improvement it delivers on the ground and not by the sophistication of its algorithm, Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Shripad Yesso Naik, said at the valedictory session of the Central Electricity Authority’s (CEA) on 15 Oct.
Addressing the two-day international conference-cum-exhibition, ‘Making Indian Power Sector AI Enabled’, Naik added that the conference marked a convergence of power system engineering and artificial intelligence. It was held 14-15 Oct.
He said India had achieved 50 per cent of non-fossil installed capacity in June 2025, five years ahead of its 2030 commitment, and the next challenge is to manage this growing and complex system with greater intelligence. “We must move from building a larger power system to building a smarter, more responsive and resilient power system,” he said.
He asked whether AI can predict equipment failure, forecast solar and wind generation more accurately, help DISCOMs cut losses and restore supply faster, and use every unit of clean energy efficiently. “Innovation must go hand in hand with security, accountability and human oversight,” he added, calling for solutions that are affordable, replicable and scalable across States and DISCOMs.
The Minister urged CEA to carry the momentum forward through measurable pilot projects, common technical frameworks and sharing of successful practices, and said India can develop AI applications for its own needs and offer scalable solutions to the world. “Technology becomes meaningful only when it improves the lives of the people,” he said, describing the conference as “the beginning of sustained action” for a future-ready energy system for Viksit Bharat 2047.
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) chairperson Jishnu Barua said the real test of AI will be the ability to deploy it reliably and responsibly, and cautioned against uncritical acceptance of AI outputs because of hallucination and algorithmic bias. He said India’s data-centre capacity has grown to nearly 15 GW, and the Ministry of Power estimates that AI, including data centres, could add 26.5 GW of new demand by 2031-32. He stressed data sovereignty and careful planning of the water and energy footprint of data centres.
CEA Chairperson Ghanshyam Prasad recalled the launches made at the inaugural session, including the cross-border electricity trade portal, the distribution-sector digitalisation report and the revised transmission planning criteria. Referring to the youth session, he said its message was clear: “If a boy of Class 12 can do it, he can own a company, he can use AI. Why can’t all of us do it?”
During the session, the Minister launched four documents and tools. The new CEA website, developed in-house, offers site-wide search across thousands of documents and reports, analytical charts on capacity and power supply position, and reports organised by functional domain. The India Fly Ash Yearbook 2026 covers 196 thermal power plants producing around 90% of the country’s fly ash, and shows ash utilisation rising from 95.95% in 2021-22 to 96.34% in 2024-25 and 101.32% in 2025-26, in support of the national goal of 100% sustainable ash utilisation.
The Compendium of Central Rules framed under the Electricity Act, 2003 consolidates all rules notified by the Ministry, including amendments up to 31 July 2026, in a single reference, with a soft copy on the CEA website. The Automated Monthly Power Market Monitoring Report draws data directly through APIs, so the report can be generated at the click of a button within days of month-end, in customised periods and formats, covering power exchanges, OTC platforms, derivatives and futures. Fiinews.com
