Earlier this year Gartner predicted that the utilities industry
would grow the most (among all sectors) in 2009 with 2.9 percent
growth. IT spending is necessary to support smart grids and energy
supplies—both viewed as national and strategic issues. In
this vertical, IT solutions such as ERP can be used to complement
engineering services. This can also optimize key end-to-end
business processes. When combined with technologies such as RFID,
it can be used for tracking the movement of fuel. Unified
communications plays an important role in multi-location
environments that are typical in the utilities sector. And MIS can
help in the decision-making process.
| Areas of increased spending in 2010 for
Utilities |
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The key factors driving the utilities industry are climate
change concerns, technology advances and consumer involvement. This
is reflected in the Infrastructure Agenda 2010 survey which shows
there will be increased spending on energy-saving technologies.
Organizations will invest in sensors that turn off unused energy
resources and systems that help conserve power in the data center.
The survey also reflects a big interest in BI solutions,
virtualization and unified communications.
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Ashok
Adhikari
Associate Director (Systems ), Aker
Powergas Pvt Ltd
Key challenges for my company in 2010:
The use of innovative techniques in detail engineering
collaborative service, digitally in the EPC segment is a great
challenge in the global domain. Using BI and cost-effective ERP
solutions for various business functions in a multi-office
environment for value added engineering services are of paramount
importance. Outsourcing non-core operations and balancing in-house
IT skills for specialized core functions to manage and support the
team through customization processes are also crucial.
Key 2010 initiatives include:
- Business intelligence &
unified communications deployment.
- Integration of island of
software used to dashboard MIS in general functional area to help
decision making processes for improving profits.
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Dinesh
Kumar
Executive Director (IT), NTPC
Ltd.
Some of the key challenges for us in 2010 are diversification
and growth of NTPC into various areas like mining for backward
integration and power trading for forward integration and going
into Hydro. Other challenges are deployment of RFID-based
technologies for managing coal movement and ensuring plant
security. We are also looking at implementing SAP in all 40
locations at NTPC. Communication infrastructure at remote hydro
projects having rough terrain is another huge challenge.
Key 2010 initiatives include:
- POCs for deployment of RFID
in the identified areas are in progress for further development and
deployment
- Regular training, vendor
presentations and demonstrations
- Audit of processes as
implemented in ERP in the pipeline.
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