Gujarat's Energy dept to use data-driven forecasting for future planning

Ahmedabad, Nov 14 (IANS) Gujarat Energy Minister Rushikesh Patel launched the Urja Samvardhanam, a new digital platform that marks a major technological leap for the state's power sector. 

The portal will store detailed data from all substations, sub-divisions and consumer categories across the state, enabling real-time tracking of electricity demand and precise forecasting of future consumption trends.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Patel said the initiative aligns with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel's vision of long-term, technology-driven infrastructure planning.

The portal will allow authorities to monitor when and where electricity is being used, track outages and shutdowns, and assess consumption patterns at a granular level information that will help improve customer services and ensure faster response to faults.

Officials said the system will be crucial for data-driven decision-making, helping the department identify regions where demand is rising and plan new substations, transmission lines and upgrades accordingly.

In the next phase, energy-generation data will also be integrated into the platform, allowing the state to strengthen power sourcing, diversify energy supply and build a more robust distribution network.

Meanwhile, Minister Patel also inspected a series of critical power sector facilities, emphasising the need to scale up automation across electricity distribution, monitoring and customer service to enhance efficiency and quality of service.

This was his first major review visit to Vadodara after taking charge of the state's Energy Department in the newly formed cabinet.

The Minister began his inspection at the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC), the 24×7 control hub that manages electricity demand–supply balance across Gujarat.

Senior officials, including Jenu Devan, Upendra Pandey, Preeti Sharma and Somesh Bandopadhyay briefed him on real-time power load management, price monitoring and the systems that ensure uninterrupted electricity across the state.

Calling the SLDC the "heart of the energy department," Minister Patel reviewed its energy accounting operations and shared guidance on preparing for future sectoral challenges.

He then visited the 220 kV substation at Gotri, where he observed transformer operations, including step-up and step-down mechanisms crucial for stable power distribution.

Minister Patel urged officials to strengthen engineering processes to improve service reliability.

--IANS

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