| How Delhi cut electricity loss from 50 to 5 percent(spectrum.ieee.org) | |
| 580 points by rbanffy 14 days ago | 319 comments | |
tl;dr: Delhi slashed electricity losses from over 50% in 2002 to 5-6% today by privatizing distribution (splitting the state utility between Tata Power and BSES), deploying SCADA systems, capacitor banks, insulated cables, and digital meters, while enforcing India's 2003 Electricity Act to prosecute theft. Reforms also included community engagement in low-income areas—hiring local women as bill collectors—and organizational restructuring with better-trained staff. Grid reliability now exceeds 99.9%, and the approach offers a blueprint for other cities in Argentina, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and elsewhere struggling with decrepit distribution infrastructure. | |
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