IT in KSEBL and IPDS project with ERP

[shineseb]

We are undergoing though a technical era where smart grids are controlling our home/office and substations. We even have commissioined first unmanned substation in KSEB. So are we up to the mark? Are we doing great?

I say No.. Why because we still not having a good report/ Dashboard to track out daily events!!!

I have met a Hon. Member of MSERC Sri Mukhesh Khullar sir and had a discussion on various aspects of power sector. During our discussion I asked about implementation of ERP on Maharashtra . I was like stuck!! He has in depth knowledge on SAP and asked me whether its available in KSEBL. I am really blessed to have a discussion with him. Since then I was think of writing a topic on ERP in KSEBL

So as we all know we are the best utility in India with least corruption and better T and D loss compared to other states and most importantly a utility which runs mainly on Hydro. But if we ask someone about our assets, resource planning, quality management, scheduling of power , load dispatch, People soft etc, they say we have software for all. A distribution AE has to work with a minimum of 10 applications on a day . Most of them doing same work on same domain but looking for different business side. For eg:- ORUMANET does the same work of Energize. Orumanet has similar functions of SCM:)- Estimate generation for new connection etc... SARAS is an accounting software and its functionality for distribution /transmission and generation are different.

HRIS:)- Still we have people to calculate interest for PF. Till no leave application can be generated from HRIS.So where are we and other utilities when it comes to IT services. We have GIS but only few Engineers know how to use it? Are we updating the same on a day?? why ???


We say we support Open source:) But why orumanet hangs? why still not accepting Credit card/Debit card in section office for paying bills?? Even a petrol bunk is managed with POS sales application. Why not KSEBL? We could have converted all transactions in to digital with the implementation of POS . The reason is " We are struggling to code the same in our app? or is it because of our inadequacy in implementing the same using a third party POS machine or fear of losing job???

All states are using SAP but we say no to SAP. If we have SAP or similar established softwares then we will be the best in INDIA in all respect.
IPDS has provision for ERP but why we are lagging???
Schemes for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and IT enablement of balance urban towns are also included under IPDS. Scope of IT enablement has been extended to all 4041 towns as per Census 2011.


APGENCO has ERP

Customers across the state of Andhra Pradesh rely on power from Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGENCO), which meets 46% of the energy demand of the state. As the largest power-generating company in the state, APGENCO manages 27 locations that are constantly working to serve its customers. The company needed a way to consolidate data from all of its locations in order to make better decisions at the corporate level. It was also looking to allow for systematic control of finance and budget, and achieve transparency in procurement processes, in line with government objectives and e-governance initiatives.APGENCO chose the SAP ERP application to automate and standardize processes across its locations. The project was named “SHAKTHI” (System to Harness APGENCO Knowledge Transformation for Harmony and Integration). The implementation was completed within budget in 11 months, and the company now has automated business processes for sustainable growth and survival. With better information and automation, APGENCO can continue to serve its customers across Andhra Pradesh.

We have given 42.64 crore for ERP implementation. So lets all support ERP and make us a better place with zero carbon emission!!!

So lets understand why we need ERP!!!
As an organisation , to have the best outcome we need to integrate the function of all our resources in a single system.
Or in other words " is the integrated management of core business processes, often in real-time and mediated by software and technology."

So we will have a single software where we deal with CRM( Customer Relationship management or Customer Care), HRM( our HRIS ), Billing, SCM, ASSET management, Scheduling etc.

Please dont go for Open source application.

Reason 1, The system is not developed as SAP or other system for this vertical.
2. Same reason,....2... same...nothing more..

I have seen the updates in the IPDS website. Most of these things are managed by SAP. Most of the companies like HPSEBL has this application.

I have seen a minutes where Punjab electricity board requested to scrap their HRM services and include the same in IPDS:)

So lets have a new system not in open source with all ERP functions.

[shineseb]

ERP will not cost us not even .45 percentage of our total sales. So lets have the best ERP in the world.

Dreaming a day where vehicles( mainly electrical vehicles) will be pooled and all employees in section office can work on shifts, all officers can avail vehicles for conference and there by reducing carbon emission and increase productivity etc.

[george.prothasis]

Totally agree with the observations..
Actually many of the achievements that we proclaim is nothing to do with the operational efficiency of tKSEBL as an organisation.
The financial stability is just because of the cheap hydro power and the better consumer habits of Keralites.

When compared with other utilities (private or public), KSEBL is far behind in asset generation, automation and mechanisation.

Our computerisation is a total failure and still struggling with the daily operations and never useful as a management tool. So far not helped the employee to deliver better service to the consumers and not helped to reduce the staff requirement of even the billing function. Actually, the computerisation over loaded employees with entering data in computer and there after that generation of hard copies and communicating it as hard copies to different offices, which is never heard in any of the automated offices in the world.

KSEBL is making great claims about computerisation and customer applications. But so far not able to make it reliable and friendly to the consumers to depend on it. More over the cost effectiveness of these ventures are not evaluated or presented to the statutory bodies like KSERC.

Same is the case with all the software projects for automation. KSEBL is not open minded to the technologies and approaching the technology with political prejudices or with prejudiced mind. This leads to constraints in getting or selecting the best technology or option in the market and end up with armature products with out proven history of application.

Unless we get rid off the prejudices in selecting the technology and products and select only proven products from the market, KSEBL as an organisation is going to limb in its progress towards future.

[george.prothasis]

The issue is the level of vision and lack of exposure on available systems around the world.
There are many well established fool proof solutions in IT for organisational as well as for power sector management. Instead of buying those solutions which has evolved through decades, if we resort to the foolishness of using the resources for reinventing new solutions, it shall be waste of energy and resources and end up at something which are far inferior to the product in the market.
Hope that the decision makers will show some wisdom by not diverting the resources for "reinventing the wheel".