Maharashtra State Load Despatch Centre

➤ The SLDC Summit 2026 brought together system operators from around 14 states across the country. The summit was conceived not merely as an event, but as a platform for collective thinking, which was reflected in both formal sessions and informal interactions.

➤ Over two days, academicians and practitioners led discussions on the realities of operating a rapidly evolving power system.

• Day 1 focused on core operational aspects, including national expectations from SLDCs, forecasting under high renewable penetration, implications of inverter-based resources, and the evolving role of load despatchers in the energy transition. Insights were shared by Rajiv Porwal (Grid India), Dr. Rhythm Singh (IIT Roorkee), Prof. Zakir Rather (Grid Integration Lab, IIT Bombay), and Anoop Singh (CER, IIT Kanpur).
• Day 2 broadened the discussion to include open access, future operation centres, data integration, state-level transition roadmaps, harmonisation of scheduling practices, and the role of SLDCs as enablers of energy transition. Sessions featured contributions from Nikit Abhyankar, Ann Moore, Jimesh Gajera, Sushil Kumar Soonee, along with FOLD authorities and Heads of SLDCs.

➤ A key message across sessions was that energy transition is now an operational reality. Elements such as forecasting, integration of inverter-based resources, open access, data integration, and harmonised scheduling practices are deeply interconnected, placing SLDCs at the centre of this transformation.

➤ SLDCs must increasingly function as central institutions that observe, interpret, and synthesise system-level signals, linking real-time operations with planning and policy for informed decision-making.

Observation and Study Reports

➤ SLDCs provide a unique vantage point to observe the power system in its entirety. Over the past two years, SLDC Maharashtra has focused on strengthening capabilities for systematic observation, analysis, and documentation of operational realities.

➤ At the summit, six observation and study reports developed through sustained efforts of SLDC teams were released:

1. Decadal Assessment of Electricity Demand, District-wise Energy Consumption, and Rooftop Solar Impact in Maharashtra
2. Enhancing Grid Resilience: Maharashtra’s Blackstart Preparedness
3. Preliminary Assessment of Data Centre Load Patterns in the Maharashtra Power System
4. Compendium of Grid Disturbances and Events – 2025: Maharashtra Power System
5. Annual Operations and Performance Report
6. Intra-State Security Constrained Economic Despatch (SCED): Online Pilot in Maharashtra

➤ Five reports are outcomes of Maharashtra SLDC and ALDC efforts, while the SCED Online Pilot presents interim insights from a regulatory sandbox exercise conducted in collaboration with Grid Integration Lab, IIT Bombay under the FOLD – MySCED initiative.

➤ In the context of energy transition—characterised by uncertainty, variability, and rapid change—systematic observation plays an active role. These studies will continue to evolve, contributing to planning, regulation, and policy.