R-APDRP: Missing Change Management and Capacity Building

Monday, February 13, 2012

R-APDRP: Missing Change Management and Capacity Building

R-APDRP As-it-is:

R-APDRP Updates (Source: PowerLine)

One of the biggest IT deployment project worldwide – Rs. 30K cr. by 2012
1403 eligible towns with 49 utilities already sanctioned for IT enabled baseline acquisition (Phase-A)
60 schemes for SCADA/DMS likely to be sanctioned by Mar 2011 (5 already done)
Strong framework for driving different functionalities:

Process – KPMG
IT (consultants, implementers) – many top players
Capacity Building – Feedback Ventures
Monitoring (TPIEA) – many players

Key Issues faced:

Major focus has been on technology upgradation for utility. Sidelined softer aspects of easier adoption by utility staff for end-objective realization

“The reforms project has to be owned by utility staff” – Kapil Mohan (Director, Distribution - MoP)
“One major concern when we go for IT enablement under reforms is that there is no IT savvy management in our power utilities. We need to e-educate our staff – both line & managerials” – M.M.Vashistha (Director, Operations, DHBVN)

Point-to-point integration is pressed, but overall system level for easier, continuous & impactful operations by utility people is challenged
Change Management for handling transition of upgraded network back to utility needs a major evolution

Capacity building in employees to use new improved networks
Building improved ownership in utility staff
Performance monitoring to track adoption and improvement against baseline

Though 3rd party monitoring and capacity building support is provided to projects, but they are more tied to vendor completion of project against SLAs, but not tied well to realize utility’s continuous improved performance

Missing engagement with the utility people risks R-APDRP success:

Awareness amongst employees & officers of utilities
Provision of appropriate Meters & space for AMR devices
Motivating users for actively participate in implementation
Adoption in change in business processes and practices
Provision of basic infrastructure required for IT & Automation
Top managements active involvement for timely decisions & driving
Dedicated team, nodal officers and coordinators for implementation
Secure funding
Selection of right agencies & resources
Prompt review mechanism
Appropriate understanding of project implementation to all team members

A bigger question remains as who's accountability is to ensure that effective end-use of network and realization of performance happens through R-APDRP funds - MoP, PFC, REC, DISCOM, System Integrators? See below a proposal, which pManifold would be interested in executing with right stakeholders of R-APDRP. With emerging Distribution Franchisee model, a good integration of R-APDRP with the Distribution Franchisee model could be achieved with right planning and incentive structure.