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SmartWatt and BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd. announced the agreement under the Muruna Initiative at a ceremony held at the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in New Delhi attended by Ambassador Abdulnasser Alshaali. The partnership aims to upgrade the distribution network through advanced technologies that enable demand-side flexibility while maintaining reliability across the service area. Initial technical assessments have identified priority substations where implementation will begin as the parties advance detailed planning. BSES Rajdhani Power operates as a joint venture between Reliance Infrastructure and the Delhi government and supplies electricity to more than three million customers in south and west Delhi according to company data.
The companies’ statement described the initiative as combining artificial intelligence with battery energy storage systems and distributed energy resources to create a more responsive grid. Sameh El Khatib, chief executive of SmartWatt, said in the announcement, “Muruna was built in the UAE to solve a problem every fast-growing economy share: how to make the grid more flexible, more resilient, and more sustainable without compromising reliability.” He added that the collaboration brings Abu Dhabi technology to Delhi consumers with an ambition to develop a scalable framework that can accelerate grid flexibility across India and beyond. Abhishek Ranjan, chief executive of BSES, stated that the engagement has the potential to establish a benchmark for demand-side flexibility in India demonstrating how digital technologies, energy storage and distributed energy resources can unlock greater value for consumers and the network.
An RMI assessment found that Delhi is projected to reach nearly 12,000 megawatts of solar generation capacity by 2030 which heightens the requirement for flexibility tools to balance supply with peak demand from air conditioning and electric vehicles. BSES has already participated in battery storage pilots that provide lessons for scaling such resources according to the same analysis which examined multiple distribution companies in the capital. The Muruna project will support real-time orchestration through an AI-enabled command and control centre that coordinates these diverse grid assets during periods of high variability.
SmartWatt is also deploying similar solutions in Himachal Pradesh through a World Bank-supported programme with the state electricity board which provides a parallel example of technology transfer aimed at regional grid resilience. The Delhi engagement builds on completed assessments to move swiftly into deployment at selected sites where flexibility can deliver immediate operational benefits. Both organisations emphasised that the approach addresses challenges common to fast-growing urban centres where renewable integration must coexist with stable supply.
Bilateral trade between India and the UAE has surpassed 100 billion dollars which the companies noted as a broader context for energy-sector collaboration that extends beyond this single agreement. The Muruna Initiative originated in the UAE where it was developed to enhance grid performance without large-scale traditional infrastructure additions. Extension to the Indian market aligns with national priorities for modernising distribution networks amid rising electricity consumption.
Further rollout will focus on creating a replicable model that other Indian utilities could adopt to manage increasing shares of variable renewable energy. The partnership reflects ongoing efforts by distribution companies to incorporate demand response and storage as commercially viable assets rather than limited pilots. Officials indicated that successful implementation in Delhi could inform similar projects across additional states facing comparable supply-demand dynamics.
