Sector & Thematic Session

Sharing Energy, Sharing Risks: Intelligent Power Grids for a More Secure South Asia

Thursday, 11 June 2026 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (GMT+8) Auditorium Hall 2 Organized by ADB South Asia

Overview

This Session is power-system focused, highlighting intelligent grids, digital operation, renewable integration, and investments that strengthen reliability and resilience. South Asia's power systems face increasing pressure from global fuel price volatility, climate-related disasters, and rapid demand growth that is outpacing domestic supply and grid upgrades. Alongside long-standing challenges of basic access and reliability, new patterns of demand are emerging from urbanization, industry, and digital services, including data centers that require high-quality, around-the-clock power. In this context, smarter, more flexible and digitally enabled grids are becoming essential, not only to support clean energy deployment, but also to manage operational risks, enhance reliability, and maintain affordability.

Utilities and system operators across the region are beginning to deploy new technologies and approaches, such as advanced forecasting, modern control and monitoring systems, storage, and demand-side flexibility, but implementation remains uneven and many networks are still characterized by aging assets, high losses, and limited visibility. Intelligent, data-driven coordination of generation, transmission, distribution, and demand can help South Asian power systems integrate higher shares of variable renewable energy, cope with climate-related shocks, and serve increasingly complex loads. This session examined how these "intelligent grids" can be designed and operated in practice to strengthen security and resilience in different country contexts.

Agenda

11:00 – 11:05 a.m.

Opening Remarks

Shri Shashank Misra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Power, India
11:10 – 11:18 a.m.

Scene-Setting Presentation (1): Utility Strategies for Grid Modernization in South Asia

Shardul S. Fadnavis, Partner and Leader, Energy Utilities and Resources, PwC India
11:18 – 11:26 a.m.

Scene-Setting Presentation (2): Korea's Grid Modernization Journey: From Aging Infrastructure to a Smart, Resilient Power System

Dae Keun Shin, Deputy Director, Electric Power Industry Policy Division, Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy (MCEE), Republic of Korea
11:26 – 11:32 a.m.

Scene-Setting Presentation (3): ADB's Transaction Advisory Role in Energy-Sector Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs)

Sheharyar Chugtai, Markets Development Advisory Specialist, OMDP, Asian Development Bank
11:32 – 11:40 a.m.

Scene-Setting Presentation (4): Accelerating India's Energy Transition and Role of Energy Storage in Achieving Net-Zero Electricity Sector by 2070

Alekhya Datta, Director, Electricity and Renewables, The Energy and Resources Institute
11:40 – 11:45 a.m.

Audience Q&A
11:45 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.

Panel 1: Modernizing South Asia's Power Grids: Digital Tools, Resilience, and Investment Choices

South Asia's power systems are at a critical point. Electricity demand is rising fast, renewable energy is being added at scale, and utilities are dealing with ageing networks, high losses, and limited system visibility — all within tight budgets and limited headroom for increase in tariffs. At the same time, climate-related disruptions, fossil fuel price volatility, and varying load profiles driven by urban growth, industrial expansion, and digital services are making grids more complex to operate and plan. Smarter, more digitally enabled grids are no longer an option — they are a necessity. Utilities and system operators across the region are beginning to deploy tools such as SCADA, real-time monitoring, advanced forecasting, automation, and smart metering to improve reliability, integrate renewables, and manage operational risks. This panel brings together senior leaders from transmission and distribution utilities, and system operators across South Asian DMCs to share what is working, what the barriers are, and what choices they are making to build more secure and resilient power systems.

Moderator
Jaimes Kolantharaj, Principal Energy Specialist, Asian Development Bank

Panelists
Sonam Tobjey, CEO, Bhutan Power Corporation Limited, Bhutan

Durga Nanda Bariyait, Deputy Managing Director, Nepal Electricity Authority, Nepal

Syed MD Sahriar Adbullah, Superintending Engineer, Power Grid Bangladesh PLC, Bangladesh

Thilakasiri Vijayanannda Weerasinghe Mudiyanselage, Director (Smart-DCC), Electrical Distribution Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, Sri Lanka

Pathik Kumar Nayek, Director (Projects), West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited, India
12:20 – 12:25 p.m.

Audience Q&A
12:25 – 12:30 p.m.

Session Closing: Summary of Key Takeaways

Jongmi Son, Energy Specialist, Asian Development Bank