Overview
India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF) will organise the 10th edition of the Distribution Utility Meet (DUM 2026), the flagship annual conference and exhibition for India’s power distribution sector, on 27‑28 October 2026 in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The event is being held in partnership with the three Rajasthan DISCOMs – Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (JVVNL), Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (JdVVNL) and Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (AVVNL) – which serve as Host Utilities. Support comes from the Ministry of Power, NITI Aayog, the Energy Department of the Rajasthan Government, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and the All India DISCOMs Association (AIDA).
Participants and Speakers
The meet is expected to attract over 500 participants, comprising senior officials from more than 40 DISCOMs across India, and will feature more than 100 speakers. Speakers will include senior utility leaders, regulators, policymakers, researchers and technology providers. Co‑host utilities joining the event are BSES Rajdhani Power Limited, BSES Yamuna Power Limited, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, The Tata Power Company Limited, Noida Power Company Limited and Chandigarh Power Distribution Limited.
Partners and Exhibitors
Knowledge Partner: Power Foundation of India (PFI).
Renewable Energy Partner: Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited (RRECL).
Powered‑by Partner: Pelocal.
Thematic Session Partners: Oracle, Enspar and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
Exchange Partner: Indian Energy Exchange (IEX).
Delegate Bag Partner: Wirepas.
Technology Innovation Partners: WorkOnGrid, Eaton, Reformtech Co., Ltd., REConnect Energy, Radius Synergies Pvt. Ltd. and Stelmec Limited.
The exhibition will showcase solutions from exhibitors such as Power Foundation of India, JVVNL, The Tata Power Company Limited, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, Brodersen Systems Pvt. Ltd., Taurus Powertronics, BENTEC, REConnect Energy, Oracle, Yitran Technologies, WorkOnGrid, Eaton, Reformtech Co., Ltd., RMC India, Enspar Sustainability Pvt. Ltd., Kimbal, Madhav Engineers Pvt. Ltd., Elektrolites, Phoenix Contact, Radius Synergies Pvt. Ltd., Stelmec Limited, Deliverain Research & Solutions, Future Grid, SM Systems, RRECL, Pelocal and Chandigarh Power Distribution Limited.
Thematic Sessions
Seven thematic sessions will address:
1. DISCOMs Financial Transformation and Capital Market Readiness.
2. Scaling Digital Intelligence and Advanced Smart Meter Data Analytics.
3. Role of Renewable Energy in Managing New and Emerging Loads and Ensuring Supply Reliability and Power Quality.
4. Flexibility Solutions for Distribution Networks and CEA Standards for Solar PV and BESS.
5. Climate Resilience and Securing the Physical Assets of DISCOMs.
6. India Energy Stack (IES), Data Exchange Framework, Cyber Security and Data Privacy for Digital Grids.
7. BESS Applications in Power Distribution – Select Case Studies.
Discussions will also cover capital‑market instruments such as green and sustainability‑linked bonds, scaling smart‑meter analytics, grid readiness for AI data centres and EV charging, grid‑forming inverters for BESS, demand‑flexibility and time‑of‑day tariffs, climate‑resilient network design, and compliance with the India Energy Stack and the CEA (Cyber Security in Power Sector) Regulations, 2026.
Inauguration and Remarks
The meet will be inaugurated by the Honorable Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Bhajan Lal Sharma, together with the Honorable Minister of State for Energy, Shri Heera Lal Nagar, on 27 October 2026 at The Lalit, Jaipur. Shri Reji Kumar Pillai, President of ISGF, stated that DUM has grown into the sole platform where DISCOM leaders convene to learn from each other’s successes, emphasizing the importance of peer learning as utilities transition from turnaround to transformation with smart meters, distributed renewables, storage and new large loads such as AI data centres and EVs.
Historical Context
Since its inaugural edition in Bengaluru in 2017, DUM has been hosted in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Kochi and Lucknow, with digital editions in 2020 and 2021. The 9th edition in Mumbai (November 2025) attracted over 600 participants from 45 DISCOMs.
Significance
DUM 2026 reaffirms India’s commitment to grid modernisation, digitalisation and a net‑zero power sector, providing a closed‑door forum for knowledge exchange among DISCOMs, technology providers and policymakers.