Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (Tata Power-DDL) has received the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research’s (DSIR) accreditation for its Smart Grid Lab. The lab has been accredited as the ‘in-house R&D unit.’

It is for the first time that any DISCOM has been awarded with such a recognition in the country. DSIR is a part of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, and has a mandate to carry out the activities relating to promotion, development, utilisation and transfer of indigenous technology.

The rigorous evaluation process was based on an array of R&D related parameters like new processes/products developed; collaborations and partnerships; R&D related infrastructure of labs; costs of equipment; presence at various forums; patents applied and granted, to highlight a few. The recognition will now allow Tata Power-DDL to benchmark industrial R&D.

The Smart Grid Lab, situated in sector-15 Rohini, provides a testbed to showcase all the information technologies and operational technologies implemented since the inception of the company in the distribution area of Tata Power-DDL. It is primarily divided in two sections: Technology Zone to showcase core technologies implemented by far and Consumer Experience Zone to demonstrate the benefit of convenience and cost savings.

The lab demonstrates various technologies, products and solutions for power distribution utilities and how these technologies are helping in providing improved connectivity, efficiency and effectively, allowing reliability of a higher magnitude — that is both sustainable and scalable to consumers.

The company will also be able to access grants from DST (Department of Science and Technology) for its R&D related activities post this accreditation.

Speaking about the achievement, Ganesh Srinivasan, CEO, Tata Power-DDL, said, “It is a great distinction for our Smart Grid Lab to be recognised as the ‘in-house R&D unit’ by Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science & Technology. This commendation reinforces our efforts towards innovation and R&D in the power distribution space to create utilities of the future. We are thankful to DSIR for honoring us.”