PR No – 55
30th January, 2025
New Delhi
Mr. Shripad Yesso Naik, Hon’ble Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Government of India, terms PMSGY being the world’s largest residential solarization program as a game-changer and Calls for Stakeholder Collaboration to Ensure Sustainable DISCOMs at PHDCCI’s 3rd DISCOM Conclave
PHDCCI today hosted 3rd DISCOM Conclave 2025 with the theme, “Green & Digital Solutions for Sustainable DISCOMs.” Mr Shripad Yesso Naik, Hon’ble Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Government of India informed that he is chairing a committee consisting of energy ministers from six states—Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Further he highlighted the viability of DISCOMs, urged for suggestions and announced that the first meeting of the committee would be conducted later today.
Further he urged all stakeholders to share insights and suggestions to make DISCOMs viable, and emphasized that without this, DISCOMs would not be sustainable, ultimately affecting the sustainability of the power sector and the entire economy.
Hon’ble Minister further stressed that it is not just about modernizing infrastructure but also about leveraging technology to benefit consumers. The Prime Minister is continuously taking initiatives for India’s power sector, with a commitment to achieving 500 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity by 2030. Under the PM Surya Ghar initiative, rooftop solar panel installations are expected to exceed 40 lakh by March 2026, and 1 crore by 2037. He further stated that the sector has demonstrated resilience with groundbreaking initiatives like universal electrification, positioning India on the path to becoming a global energy leader.
He informed that India was on track to achieve the Panchamrat goals set by the Prime Minister and sustainable DISCOMs are essential for the country becoming a leader in the energy sector. Addressing funding constraints and cyber security concerns, he urged collaboration among different stakeholders. He emphasized that by embracing this collectively, a system that is sustainable, resilient, and future-ready can be built.
Mr Anil Gupta, Vice President, PHDCCI said that the global energy landscape is undergoing a profound transformation. Renewable energy have shifted from being alternatives to becoming mainstream contributors to our energy mix. This shift is not just desirable-it is imperative for mitigating the impacts of climate change, ensuring energy security, and fulfilling the aspirations of a sustainable future. DISCOMs are at the forefront of this transformation, tasked with enabling the seamless integration of green energy into our grids.
However, this transition is not without its challenges, Integrating intermittent renewable energy sources requires robust grid infrastructure, advanced forecasting tools, and efficient energy storage solutions. Digital innovation is our strongest ally in this journey, Technologies like smart grids, artificial intelligence, and real time analytics empower us to monitor, predict, and optimize energy flows. By embracing these advancements, we can enhance grid stability, minimize losses, and improve consumer engagement, thereby creating a win-win scenario for all stakeholders, He added.
Mr Salil Gupta, Chair, Power Committee, PHDCCI speaking on theme said we are not only reflecting on the challenges that lie ahead but also embracing the immense opportunities to revolutionize the power sector.
He added DISCOMs are the backbone of India’s power distribution network—are at the heart of our energy transition journey. However, the path to sustainability demands a dual transformation: one that is both green and digital.
With renewable energy (RE) poised to constitute a significant portion of our energy mix, DISCOMs must evolve to not only support but also drive this transition. However, this requires overcoming existing challenges, including financial constraints, grid reliability issues, and operational inefficiencies.
The solution lies in two critical areas one is Adopting Best Practices And second is Seamlessly Integrating Renewable Energy by modernising the grid encouraging decentralised RE Generation, investing in energy storage solutions and leveraging digital technologies.
Mr Sanjeev Gupta, Co-Chair, Solar Energy Committee, PHDCCI stated that with the 2024 figures showing a rising share of green energy in the energy basket, renewable energy is set to take center stage. He emphasized that the most important aspect of the distribution sector is the RDSS, which is transforming the sector by making the grid and storage smarter.
Mr Uwe Gehlen, Head of Economic Cooperation and Development, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in India talked about the collaboration and energy partnership between the two countries toward green and digital solutions for sustainable discoms.
He added, Germany is highly focused on strengthening India’s capacity and capabilities in this area. Last year, we established a platform for renewable energy in Germany on a global scale.
We are facing this challenge jointly and deepening our collaboration further will accelerate progress and add value to our current work. Financial gaps need to be filled, with the private sector stepping in and more German investors joining forces. Mr Gellen concluded.
Mr Amal Sinha, Director and Group CEO, BSES, spoke about the intiatives taken by BSES towards sustainability and RE integration for their consumers in Delhi.
Dr Ranjeet Mehta, CEO & Secretary General, PHDCCI explained that DISCOMs affect all of us and need a lot of efficiency, without technology integration we cannot achieve the desired efficiency.
He further discussed that convergence of digital solutions and advanced technologies offers an unprecedented opportunity to transform DISCOMs into sustainable, efficient, and consumer-focused organizations while reducing AT&C losses. Further, he assured the government that PHDCCI will submit an industry representation based on the feedback received from this event
A Research Report prepared by PHDCCI and ICRA was also released by the Minister
The Conclave was sponsored had GIZ as the Knowledge Partner, ICRA as the Research Partner and was supported by REconnect Energy, NTPC , BSES, PFC, NTPC Vidyut Vitran, E&E and by PHDCCI annual sponsors, DLF Ltd; Jindal Steel & Power; KLJ Group; Multani Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Marble City; MMG Group; Radico Khaitan Ltd; Uflex Ltd; Vestige; Eazy ERP Technologies; JK Tyre & Industries Ltd; Sagar Group of Industries; Superior Industries Limited; Samsung India Electronics; Oswal Greentech; Apeejay Stya Group; Blossom Kochhar Beauty Products Pvt Ltd; DCM Shriram; R E Rogers; Trident Group; Ajit Industries Pvt Ltd; Bhagwati Plastic and Pipes Industries; Central Coalfields Ltd; DD Pharmaceutical Ltd.; Hindware Sanitary; Jindal Steel; Modern Automobiles; P S BEDI & Co.
Regards,
Abha Singh
Executive Officer, Media Team