ROLE OF POWER ENGINEERS IN DEVELOPMENT OF VIKSIT BHARAT
Er Shailendra Dubey
In India, Engineers' Day is celebrated on September 15 to honor the birth anniversary of Sir
Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, a legendary engineer and statesman who made significant contributions to
Indian infrastructure and engineering. Born in 1860, his work on irrigation systems, dams, and public projects
like the Krishna Raja Sagara dam earned him the Bharat Ratna in 1955. The day recognizes engineers' role in
nation-building and innovation.
This year on Engineers Day let us have a glimpse on the Role of Power Engineers in development of
Viksit Bharat.
Power engineers are indispensable to achieving Viksit Bharat 2047, driving the energy transition, modernizing
infrastructure, and ensuring sustainability. Their expertise in renewable energy, grid integration, smart
technologies, and cybersecurity will power India’s journey to becoming a developed nation. By addressing
challenges like financial viability, climate risks, and technological gaps, power engineers will help create a
reliable, inclusive, and sustainable energy ecosystem, aligning with India’s ambitious goals for 2047.
India’s vision to become a developed nation by 2047, hinges on a robust, sustainable, and efficient
energy ecosystem. Power engineers play a pivotal role in realizing this ambitious goal, as the power sector is a
critical enabler of economic growth, industrial development, and social progress. Below, I outline the key roles
and contributions of power engineers in achieving Viksit Bharat, grounded in the context of India’s energy
transition and infrastructure goals.
Driving the Clean Energy Transition:-
Power engineers are at the forefront of India’s commitment to achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel
capacity by 2030 and Net Zero emissions by 2070. Their expertise is essential in:
Designing and Deploying Renewable Energy Systems: Power engineers develop, install, and maintain solar,
wind, hydro, and other renewable energy projects. They ensure efficient integration of these intermittent sources
into the national grid, addressing challenges like variability and grid stability.
Advancing Energy Storage Solutions: Engineers are critical in developing battery storage systems, pumped
hydro storage, and emerging technologies like green hydrogen to balance supply and demand, especially during
peak loads.
Strengthening Power Infrastructure:-
A reliable power supply is fundamental to Viksit Bharat’s economic and social objectives. Power
engineers contribute by:
Expanding Transmission Networks: Engineers design and construct high-capacity transmission lines to
evacuate power from renewable-rich regions to demand centers. The National Electricity Plan (2023-2032)
projects the addition of 1.91 lakh circuit kilometers of transmission lines and 1,274 GVA of transformation
capacity, a task heavily reliant on power engineers.
Electrifying Remote Areas: Power engineers are instrumental in extending electricity access to all households,
achieving near 100% electrification, and improving supply duration (22.6 hours in rural areas and 23.4 hours in
urban areas as of 2025).
Enhancing Energy Efficiency and Demand Management:-
Power engineers play a critical role in optimizing energy use to meet growing demand while minimizing
environmental impact:
Demand-Side Management: They develop solutions for managing morning and evening peak loads, driven by
rising electric vehicle (EV) adoption, electric cooking, and air conditioning. This includes demand response
strategies to balance load patterns.
Innovating for Sustainability and Decarbonization:-
Power engineers are key to achieving India’s decarbonization goals while ensuring energy security :
Phasing Out Fossil Fuels: They work on transitioning from coal-based power to cleaner alternatives,
optimizing existing fossil-based capacity (246 GW in 2025) while scaling up non-fossil capacity (220 GW in
2025).
Cybersecurity in Power Systems: As digital infrastructure grows, power engineers ensure the security of smart
grids and power systems against cyber threats.
Addressing Demand-Supply Challenges:-
India’s per capita electricity consumption has risen from 559 kWh in 2001 to 1,208 kWh in recent years,
with expectations of tripling by 2047. Power engineers tackle:
Load Pattern Changes: They adapt systems to handle shifting demand patterns due to EVs, climate-induced
uncertainties, and seasonal variations.
Hydro and Nuclear Expansion: Engineers accelerate capacity additions in hydropower and nuclear energy,
which are critical for stable, low-carbon power.
Addressing Cybersecurity and Technological Advancements:-
As India’s power sector embraces digitalization, power engineers play a critical role in:
Cybersecurity: With the rise of smart grids and digital infrastructure, engineers develop and implement robust
cybersecurity frameworks to protect critical power infrastructure from cyber threats.
Challenges for Power Engineers:-
Intermittency of Renewables: Managing the variability of solar and wind energy requires innovative
grid management solutions.
Climate-Induced Uncertainties: Changing weather patterns affect hydro generation and demand forecasting,
necessitating adaptive strategies.
The rapid shift to clean energy demands continuous training to equip engineers with expertise in new
technologies.
Conclusion:-
Power engineers are the backbone of India’s energy transformation, driving the technical and innovative
solutions needed to achieve Viksit Bharat by 2047. Their expertise in renewable energy, grid modernization,
energy efficiency, and emerging technologies ensures a sustainable, reliable, and inclusive power ecosystem.
By addressing challenges like intermittency, infrastructure expansion, and skill development, power engineers
will play a transformative role in powering India’s journey to becoming a global economic and environmental
leader.
Er Shailendra Dubey is Chief Engineer (Retd). Presently working as Chairman, All India Power
Engineers Federation (AIPEF)
