ISUW 2024 Speaker

Pankaj Batra did his B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Diploma in Systems Management from NMIMS, Mumbai, Diploma in Financial Management from IGNOU, New Delhi and Diploma in Public Speaking from Nazareth Speakers Academy, Mumbai. He joined the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) in 1983 through the UPSC’s Combined Engineering Services Exa mination. He has worked in the Western Regional Load Despatch Centre (WRLDC) as a System Operator, operation and maintenance of Power House, Switchyard and Dam in Chukha Hydro Power Corporation in Bhutan and operation and maintenance of transmission and distribution system of Bhutan and also erection of the first 220 kV station in Bhutan at Thimphu. He has also worked in the Grid Management in the CEA Headquarters, monitoring Regional Grids. He was involved in the finalization of issues in the Indian Electricity Grid Code (IEGC), Availability Based Tariff (ABT), Open Access, Power Exchange, etc. He framed the regulations of CEA on Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid and regulations on Grid Standards. He has worked as Chief (Engineering) in Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) formulating various Regulations, including various provisions related to wind and solar generation in the revised Indian Electricity Grid Code. He also started the Division on Regulatory Affairs in CEA and was responsible for regulatory issues of CEA, CERC and SERC Regulations. He was also earlier Member Secretary of the National Reliability Council for Electricity. He also worked as Chief Engineer involved in Financial and Commercial Appraisal of power generation and transmission projects in the CEA, VGF funding of renewable energy projects, Tariff matters, taxes and duties in the power sector, FDI in power sector, Standard Bidding documents for procurement of generation and transmission services, Tariff Policy and National Electricity Policy, Financial Restructuring of State Discoms, etc. He was Member Secretary of the Task Force on Peaking Power Plants and Creation of Adequate System Reserves and on Integration of electricity from Renewable Energy sources in the Grid. He was also in the Committee of Ministry of Power for formulation of Model Smart Grid Regulations, which were then submitted to the Forum of Regulators. He is the Chairperson of Working Group VI on “Policy and Regulation” in the India Smart Grid Forum. He is also Chairperson of the BIS Committee of LITD 10 – “Power System Control and Associated Communication”. He is now Member (Planning), Central Electricity Authority, ex-officio Additional Secretary to the Government of India, and oversees various planning functions, including planning of integration of renewable sources of energy into the grid, Electric Power Survey Report on long term demand forecasting, National Electricity Plan on generation planning, etc.