CEA Proposes Roadmap for Indigenous SCADA Systems in India

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has proposed a phased roadmap for the development and deployment of indigenous Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems for India’s power sector. The initiative is aimed at reducing dependence on imported technology while strengthening cybersecurity, energy security and the resilience of critical power-grid infrastructure.

The CEA committee’s report on the “Formulation of Trajectory of Indigenisation of SCADA System” outlines an indigenisation programme covering 38 software modules and 25 hardware components. The committee has indicated that India has the technical capability to achieve the targeted localisation during 2026-27 to 2028-29, provided adequate funding, testing infrastructure and implementation support are made available.

Under the proposed roadmap, the development of core SCADA and communication systems would begin from 2026-27, followed by more advanced functions for grid monitoring, generation management, power-flow planning and security assessment. More specialised functions are expected to be developed by 2028-29.

The committee has also recommended establishing a dedicated testing platform within two years with government funding. The facility would allow indigenous SCADA modules to be evaluated under simulated grid conditions and assessed for cybersecurity performance before wider deployment.

Pilot projects have been proposed at State Load Despatch Centres (SLDCs), Regional Load Despatch Centres (RLDCs) and the National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC). Indigenous SCADA and Energy Management System (EMS) software and hardware, including Remote Terminal Units, servers and workstations, would be tested alongside existing systems in real-time operating environments. SLDC Odisha has offered to provide a testing environment for the initiative.

The report has further proposed creating a dedicated team within Grid India to oversee development, project management and future upgrades. It has also called for a suitable funding mechanism, potentially through government grants or another sustainable model, to support research, development, testing and implementation.

The proposed roadmap comes ahead of the government’s plan to stop imports of SCADA systems for the power sector beyond 2030. The move is expected to encourage the development of domestic technology capabilities and reduce vulnerabilities associated with foreign technology and supply-chain dependence.

The CEA officially listed the committee’s report on the indigenisation trajectory of SCADA systems on August 24, 2026.