Seminar on Smart City Gas Distribution In Partnership with Natural Gas Society (NGS) and India CGD Forum at India Smart Utility Week (ISUW) 2022

Session Background

More than 70% of the population in India is expected to come under the City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks by 2030. Gas demand will grow in India in the medium term. Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has authorized to enhance the natural gas pipeline network of 14,239 Km to approximately 33,764 Km to create a national gas grid and increase the availability of natural gas across the country. The development of the National Gas Grid will create huge opportunities for economic development and employment in the country.

Operational similarities between electricity and gas distribution utilities and the potential of their asset sharing can lead to collaboration among them for utility integration. GIS maps, billing and collection systems, call centers, and last-mile connectivity can be shared for efficient operations and business benefits. Utility integration among Electricity and Gas is a very innovative approach that will serve consumers across the country.

Session -1 Implementation of National Gas Grid for the Availability of Natural Gas Across the Country

Discussion Points

• National Gas Grid for the availability of Natural Gas across the country.

• Available Regulatory support and opportunities of employment creation in City Gas Distribution.

• Advantage for Oil Distribution Companies in City Gas Distribution

Key Takeaways

• Achieving sustainability and carbon measure by knowing the pilferage point

• Improved Process Efficiency between insights in LCV delays, improving LCV turn around time and minimize DBS dry out.

• Making Energy Accounting more accurate and Efficient

• Insights in station level loss computation

• Daily Mother Gas Station (MGS), Daughter Booster Station (DBS) and Organization Level CNG stock movement tracking and stock reconciliation

• Insights in cycle time with regard to Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) efficiency

• Gas Grid Energy Audit at all levels

• Allocation of land for CGD

• CNG to be exempted from excise duty

• Push for PNG by replacing LPG and increasing conversion from industry

• Standardize restoration charges

• Reduce GST for CNG vehicles in line with EVs

• Single window clearance mechanism

• Development of dedicated Gas Pipeline Corridors

• Development of new anchor load customers such as steel, Refineries

• Support on RoUs and environmental clearance

• Incentivize pipeline developers for reasonable returns

Session-2 City Gas Distribution Network for 70% of India’s Population By 2030

Discussion Points

• Introduction of Mobile Apps and other Digital Customer Services to reach out the masses in urban areas

• Use of Digital Platform for Gas procurement by CGD utilities

• Smart Gas Meter and its Standardization for City Gas Distribution

Key Takeaways

• Digitalization of cash -payment through digital platform

• Mobile apps to show where the CGD stations are located

• Gas Station should be operated through SCADA

• Controlling Pipeline is important

• Electronic System is required to control leakages, integrity of pipelines,

• Entire meter system should be automated

• Customer interface can be improved by digital applications

• Pay as you go can be given as a payment option

• Life cycle cost and frequency of data should be part of metering type

• Metering technologies should be future ready

Session-3 Utility Integration

Discussion Points

• Sharing of Assets – both Physical and Digital

• Sharing of GIS maps, Common Billing and Collection Systems, Common Call centres, sharing of last mile connectivity for network

• Automation and smart metering for better customer experience.

• Utility integration to accelerate the growth of the government’s mission to make India a Gas Based Economy by 2025

Key Takeaways:

• Customer GIS Maps Sharing

• Common call centre

• Leveraging the Assets of installing utilities for EV charging stations and installing roof top

• Last mile connectivity can be extended to automate the meter reading of gas and water at marginal cost

• Collaboration to go a long way to improve efficiency of all the 3 Utilities i.e Electricity, Gas & water

Session on Integration of Electricity and City Gas Distribution - Distribution Utility Meet (DUM-2021)

The enriching session on Integration of Electricity and City Gas Distribution (CGD) companies was conducted with gas distribution companies, DISCOMs and gas & electricity regulators to share their thoughts about utility integration. It provided a unique opportunity to the utilities to share each other's experiences and efforts towards automation and digitalization on a fast track.

Key Take aways of the panel session

1. P K Pujari, Chairman, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission 

Government of India is taking steps to replace 25 crore conventional electricity meters with smart meters . Data from smart meters can be analyzed to assess consumer behavior and use the same for projecting the demand as well as planning for gas distribution or similar other services /utilities.  Sharing of digital assets between Electricity and Gas distribution utilities is a win- win situation for both as well as convenient for the customers.

2. Tarun Kapoor, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

It’s time to think of having a single agency to provide services to the consumer so that one can avoid dealing with multiple agencies. An app can be developed to provide all relevant information at single touch of a button to entire consumer base. Aim to provide multiple choices to the consumer over the same network. Need to create a platform/ web portal where all necessary information is available to the consumer.  

3. Sanjay Banga, President, Tata Power Company Limited

Excellence in service is the key to success. Engagement with consumer has to be broader and deeper. Utility integration will bring more efficiency, cost optimization, business growth customer delight. Pilot at TPDDL with Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) has been a success which we are now expanding in Delhi as well as in Ajmer. 

4. Sanjeev Bhatia, Vice President, Business Development, Indraprastha Gas Limited

sharing not only of consumer data but also sharing of knowledge & experience with regard to automation best practices etc. in both the domains will play a key role in utility integration.

 5. Raman Chadda, Chief Executive Officer,  GAIL Gas Ltd

Apart from identifying common customers, prospective customers, defaulters, high value customers and GIS mapping in DISCOMs and CGD utilities; establishing easy traceability of leakage or faults for both the utilities will improve the operational efficiency of both CGD and electricity distribution companies.

6. Rajesh Mediratta, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer , Indian Gas Exchange Limited  

A huge chunk of the overall expense goes to procurement in electricity distribution and CGD business; we should make use of digital technology to move in the direction of smart procurement.

7. Gaurav Bhatiani, Chief of Party (CoP), SAREP (RTI India)

The role of DISCOMs and CGD utilities is very important from the angle of integrating sustainability in holistic urban planning; digital technology will play a crucial role for delivering data and energy.

8. Mandar Patil, Senior Manager- Solutions Architecture, WWPS, AWS India (AISPL)

 Cloud is the common denominator for enabling digital transformation for electricity and city gas distribution.

9. Sujit Ruikar, General Manager, Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited- The role of GIS is very important and common to DISCOMs and CGD companies in terms of laying pipelines and cables; sharing physical and digital assets will add value to customer support and utility billing.

10.  D V Shastry, Executive Director, Natural Gas Society

Collaboration between DISCOM’s and City Gas Distribution companies will lead to better efficiency. Cost reduction and ultimately the customer delight. Possible areas include common metering, billing sharing of customer data, common all center, provision of utility corridors or smooth and planned execution of new networks of electricity &CGD’s earmarking specific space in upcoming buildings /townships.

Link for the session - https://bit.ly/3Ja2ir2

India Smart Grid Forum along with Natural Gas Society organized a joint Webinar on “Collaboration between City Gas Distribution and Electricity Distribution Companies to Accelerate Transition to Gas based Economy” on 15th July, 2021.

The webinar brought together, city gas distribution companies, electricity distribution companies, gas & electricity regulators to share their thoughts about utility integration. It opened up a doorway for further discussions on collaboration and asset sharing among Electricity and Gas utilities.

Operational similarities between electricity and gas distribution utilities and the potential of their asset sharing was discussed. GIS maps, billing and collection systems, call centers, last mile connectivity can be shared for a better utility integration.

Shri Tarun Kapoor, Secretary, MoPNG inaugurated the webinar and shared his valuable thoughts. He emphasized that Electricity and Gas integration is a very innovative approach which will service the consumers across the country.

Key Takeaways of the Panel discussion are as follows:

1. Tarun Kapoor, Secretary Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas -Utility integration among the Electricity and Gas is a very innovative approach which will service the consumers across the country. Some pilots can be done in the beginning for the proper understanding of technology implied and then it can be scaled up.
2. E S Ranganathan, Director (Marketing) - A good collaboration between electricity distribution companies and CGD Company will facilitate better utilization of assets to integrate the common services of Electricity and Gas Utilities for better customer experience.
3. Anjuli Chandra, Member, Punjab Electricity Regulatory Commission- Integrating utilities bill will discourage consumer defaults and digitalized billing will enhance consumer experience. A common communication system across the utilities will reduce the service cost.
4. Rajiv Sikka, Chief Executive Officer, Indian Oil- Adani Gas Limited - A well framed cooperation philosophy among gas and power utilities will give leverage to CGD companies to scale up their business quickly. The customer privacy should be ensured across the utilities.
5. Anil Rawal, MD and CEO, Intellismart- One bill for water, electricity, gas and internet will reduce consumer’s discomfort. Common backend for all the services will enable collaboration among different utilities and will create better value for customers and reduce cost of doing business for utilities.
6. Sanjay Banga, President, Tata Power Company Limited- “There is a great possibility of clubbing the essential services which will create value for utilities as well as customers. The new Electricity mandate can act as a catalyst for the same. Water should be included with electricity and gas for better customer services.
7. Sanjay Shende, Dy. Managing Director, Mahanagar Gas Limited -Common metering standards will facilitate quicker integration of utilities. A unique customer care no for all the utilities will provide better customer experience.
8. Sujit Ruikar- General Manager, Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited- GIS integration and data sharing has been a challenge which can be addressed by creating a common data sharing platform. Collaboration with respective electricity distribution company can give a jump start to CGD companies for their operational efficiency.
9. D V Shastry- Market opportunities for commonly used assets like GIS can be explored by sharing the same with other service providers like Water Utility, Gas Utility and Municipal agencies
10. Reji Kumar Pillai, President, ISGF- Government of India has approved a program for 250 million smart meters in electricity sector; in new cities where CGD companies are commencing their operations, Smart Gas Meters can be installed along with Smart Electricity Meters with a common last mile connectivity.

Link for the Webinar : https://youtu.be/TD7ChUWIJe4