Rourkela, Dec 15: The National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela and Tata Power Western Odisha Distribution Limited (TPWODL) signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the "Center of Excellence for 21st Century Grid" at the NIT Rourkela campus, officials said on Friday.

NIT Rourkela Director Prof. K. Umamaheshwar Rao and TPWODL CEO Gajanan S. Kale inked the MoU in the Board Room of NIT Rourkela.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Rao said, "NIT Rourkela is thrilled to partner with TPWODL in establishing the Center of Excellence for 21st Century Grid. This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone in the synergy between industry and academia, combining TPWODL’s expertise in the energy sector with NIT Rourkela's commitment to cutting-edge research and development."

"This will provide our students and faculty with valuable industry exposure, fostering a dynamic environment for research and development,” he added.

On his part, Kale said, "This MoU signifies a commitment to technological advancement and innovation in the power sector. With the academic prowess of NIT Rourkela, we can find out the solutions for the challenges the energy industry faces in executing various assignments like Solarisation of Agriculture Pumps, Distributions, Integration of Renewable Energy, Smart Grid Implementation, Environmental Concerns, Methodology Adoption etc. We can get access to research expertise, and conduct workshops for industry professionals. On the other side, the students of NITR can get internships and research opportunities with hands-on industry experiences."

"With this initiative, both of the institutions aspire to create a Center of Excellence that will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of energy grids, " he added saying that TPWODL is ranked among the top eight utilities across the nation in the annual report of Integrated Rating and Ranking of Power Distribution Utilities of India conducted by the Ministry of Power Govt of India.

As per the the MoU, the NIT Rourkela will provide the necessary space and resources for the establishment of the Center of Excellence, while the TPWODL will help to identify various applications for utility along with their expertise and provide required data to help in conducting pilot projects on developed technology.

Prof. K.B. Mohanty, Head of Electrical Engineering Department, NITR will be the Chairperson of this new Center of Excellence for 21st Century Grid to be set up in NIT Rourkela, they added.

The Center of Excellence aims to be a hub for academic research and human resource development with a focus on advancing the technology and practices related to 21st-century grids. This collaborative effort is expected to have a high translational impact, fostering innovation and contributing to the evolution of smarter and more sustainable energy solutions, officials said.

NITR’87 Alumni and Board member of Gridwise Alliance, Giri Iyer played a crucial role in spearheading the initiation of this collaborative project. He virtually joined the event and said, "TPWODL is among the leaders in modernizing their grid based on the funding from the Ministry of Power and is in the process of installing smart meters, and other grid hardening investments. NITR will as part of this MoU will focus on applied research to further help TPWODL with their Aggregate Technical & Commercial (ATC) losses and improve their System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) and & System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI) metrics."

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"The NITROAA alumni are keen to bring connections to US National laboratories and accelerate the use of AI/ML to improve operational efficiencies for all Tata power DISCOMs,” he added.

Deans, several Professors of NIT Rourkela and many senior officials of TPWODL were present on the occasion.

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