Next Intervention in Power Systems Operation is AI: POSOCO CMD

National Grid Operator POSOCO CMD KVS Baba has said that the next great thing that POSOCO will use for demand forecasting is AI (Artificial Intelligence).

National Grid Operator POSOCO CMD KVS Baba has said that the next great thing that Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO) will use for demand forecasting is AI (Artificial Intelligence).

Speaking (via web conference) at a global workshop titled “Power Utility Challenges during COVID-19 Pandemic” organizsd by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) India Council and Power & Energy Society (PES) India Chapters Council with panelists from US, Europe, Asean countries, Australia, New Zealand, Baba stressed upon distribution companies (Discoms) to use AI and derive patterns based on artificial intelligence.

Demand forecasting is still a challenge but for the system operators, more forecast errors mean more reserves to be kept on our part to meet variables, Baba said.

When asked about variation in renewable, he said that renewables are highly unpredictable and also since our sub-stations are not yet highly efficient in terms of data logging, the data churning is required. He further asked all the academic institutions to take initiative on their own and go to state power utilities and join hands with them, starting from discoms.

About the COVID-19 impact on National Grid Operator, he said that the pandemic helped them to work more efficiently and as system operators they enjoy challenges.

POSOCO is a wholly-owned Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Power. It was formed in March 2009 to handle the power management functions of PGCIL but made a separate company in January 2017. It is responsible to ensure the integrated operation of the Grid in a reliable, efficient, and secure manner. It consists of 5 Regional Load Despatch Centres (RLDCs) and the National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC).

In June, the operator had reported the likely impacts of the annual solar eclipse, that India experienced on June 21 this year, on the country’s power sector/ solar generation and all the preparations that had been made to try and lower the impact on the system.