Power play: Yogesh Kumar

When India began its transformation toward a smarter, more reliable energy grid, few could predict how complex that journey would be. For Yogesh Kumar, Director (Commercial) at Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (MVVNL), that challenge has defined his more than 38 years in the power sector.

"In every technical role, new challenges arise every day," he tells The CEO Magazine. "The key is to analyze the problem carefully, explore every possible solution – no matter how small or unconventional – and choose the one that works best. Sometimes the idea that seems too simple turns out to be the most effective."

That simple-is-often-best philosophy has guided Kumar through every phase of India’s evolving energy landscape from restoring damaged generators and main exciters in hydro plants to pioneering one of the country’s largest metering programs.

Indeed, Kumar’s role in modernizing India’s power sector began long before smart metering became a national goal.

"Back in 2005, I helped to introduce the use of modems for meter readings in Uttar Pradesh for the first time," he recalls.

By 2015, his team had delivered India’s first large-scale, radio-frequency-based smart metering project, covering 12,500 smart meters across residential, commercial and industrial categories.

"It was India’s first major smart metering project," he says. "At the time, there were no established systems for data management or billing integration, so we developed our own platforms from scratch."

Making power personal

Kumar’s focus on customer transparency helped shape the project’s success.

"We wanted to make billing information completely accessible," he explains.

"For the first time, customers could see details such as balance, payment amount, last payment date and disconnection date directly on the meter screen. The customer no longer had to go into an office to check their bill."

Later, he oversaw the installation of more than 1.15 million smart meters across 13 towns in Uttar Pradesh – the largest project of its kind at the time.

"We handled every challenge from manufacturing and communication and installation issues to data integration," he shares. "By 2021, we achieved 99.5 percent billing accuracy across smart meters, which was a huge achievement."

Another point of pride was helping to train the next generation of engineers, he says.

"I delivered the first national lecture on smart metering to over 400 participants," Kumar recalls. "It was part of a government program to upskill professionals in this emerging technology."

Building a consumer-first ecosystem

When it comes to innovation, Kumar believes it means little unless it benefits customers. With this in mind, MVVNL has introduced geographic information system-tagged readings, GPS tracking for meter readers and optical character recognition for automatic data capture.

"The most important thing for any customer is to receive an accurate bill," he says. "Our goal is for at least 95 percent of bills to be generated through digital readings, ensuring they are completely error-free."

Ease of payment has also been a major focus. While customers still have the option of paying in cash, MVVNL has expanded mobile and online payment options, from Paytm and PhonePe to debit cards and internet banking for tech-savvy users.

"When meter readers visit homes, customers can pay their bills on the spot – either in cash or electronically," Kumar explains.

"We’ve also partnered with Common Service Centers, so payments can be made right in people’s neighborhoods. We wanted every customer, no matter where they live or how they pay, to have an easy way to stay connected."

Innovation meets access

Even complaint handling has gone digital.

"Consumers can now log any issue through our website, mobile app or by calling 1912," he says. "They immediately receive a confirmation message with their complaint number. It’s simple, transparent and traceable."

The next enhancement, Kumar says, will make things even more accessible.

"We’re working on mapping all payment and service locations through Google Maps, so customers can easily find the nearest center," he explains, adding that this level of innovation wouldn’t be possible without MVVNL’s relationships with strategic partners like Bentec, M/s Fusion CX and Vaibhu Infra Tech India.

But while customer-facing improvements are accelerating, deeper structural issues remain.

"Roughly 30 percent of customers who received connections under various government schemes are not paying their bills regularly," Kumar points out. "This is one of our biggest challenges."

To assist lower-income households, MVVNL introduced incentive programs that temporarily waive interest charges on outstanding payments.

"Many consumers are taking advantage of these schemes to clear their dues," he says.

Power theft remains another concern.

"We’ve launched multiple initiatives to address it," he explains. "As we roll out more prepaid smart meters, the entire system will become more transparent. Machine-to-machine metering will eliminate manual errors and ensure fair billing for everyone."

Powering India’s future

Behind every efficient power network, Kumar says, lies a disciplined procurement process.

"All of our materials and services are sourced through open tendering. We award contracts to the lowest qualified bidder, but only after setting strict technical criteria to ensure quality," he says.

The company purchases directly from trusted manufacturers – there are no intermediaries – and each district maintains sufficient stock to prevent delays.

"We buy in bulk from producers of poles, transformers, conductors and insulators," he says. "We make sure materials are always available in local stores, so projects and maintenance work never stop."

While some utilities rank suppliers, Kumar believes consistency matters more.

"We don’t maintain a fixed list of preferred vendors," he says. "Every supplier has to meet our technical standards before being considered and all performance is closely monitored."

Looking ahead, Kumar, who has since retired, sees digital transformation as key to shaping a more resilient and efficient grid.

"We’ve already implemented most consumer-facing systems, and now we’re piloting blockchain technology for net-metering customers," he says. "This will make the process even more transparent and secure."

The evolution is built on technology, but also on trust and human connection.

"When customers receive accurate bills and reliable service, that’s true success," he says.

As a leader who’s spent his career modernizing India’s power sector from the inside out, that success is deeply personal. And with each innovation, Kumar proves that progress, much like power itself, is strongest when it’s steady, smart and shared by all.