Baseline & audit
Baseline & Audit: Mapping AT&C Losses, Reliability Gaps and Digital Maturity Before You Automate
We start every digitalisation engagement with a rigorous, data-led baseline: AT&C loss decomposition, feeder-level reliability review, process mapping across metering-to-billing and outage workflows, and a structured maturity assessment of SCADA/DMS, AMI and control-room systems. This gives your leadership an evidence-based starting point before any technology or automation investment is committed.
Typical duration · 6–9 weeks for a single distribution circle (110–150 feeders); scales with circle count and data availability
Samples generated 07 Sept 2026, 02:06 am ISTWhat happens in this step
- 01Kick-off workshops with distribution, metering, IT/OT and commercial teams to align scope, boundaries and success metrics
- 02AT&C loss decomposition by feeder/DT using energy audit, billing and collection data; identification of technical vs commercial loss drivers
- 03Reliability data review (SAIDI/SAIFI, feeder tripping logs, DT failure rates) benchmarked against CEA/state norms
- 04Process mapping of metering-to-cash, outage restoration and asset maintenance workflows to locate manual bottlenecks
- 05Digital & automation maturity assessment across SCADA, DMS, AMI, GIS and control-room systems using a structured scoring framework
- 06Site and control-room visits to validate data quality, sensor coverage and existing automation footprint
- 07Consolidation into a gap register and baseline scorecard, reviewed jointly with the client before moving to prioritisation
What we need from you
- 12–24 months of feeder and DT-level energy accounting and billing/collection data
- SAIDI/SAIFI and outage logs, DT failure and replacement records
- Existing SCADA/DMS/AMI/GIS architecture documents and vendor contracts
- Organisation chart and process documentation for metering, billing and O&M
- Access to control room and sample feeder/DT sites for field validation
- Any prior loss-reduction or smart-metering DPRs, if available
Worked example (anonymised, illustrative)
Distribution Circle Digital Baseline Study · ~140 feeders, ~2,800 DTs, ~4.5 lakh consumers · Western India DISCOM circle
A mid-sized urban-rural distribution circle with AT&C losses above 18% and partial SCADA coverage sought an independent baseline before committing to a phased smart-metering and DMS rollout.
Sample deliverables from this step
Every sample below is analyst-written and anonymised for illustration — structure and depth mirror our real deliverables; figures and names are not from any client engagement.
Illustrative · Growthifye-preparedAT&C Loss & Reliability Baseline Report
Feeder- and DT-level loss decomposition, reliability benchmarking and root-cause classification of technical, commercial and collection losses.
Sample excerpt · Feeder-wise loss & reliability snapshot (illustrative extract) — illustrative figures
| Feeder ID | AT&C Loss (%) | SAIDI (hrs/yr) | SAIFI (events/yr) | Primary Loss Driver |
| F-014 | 22.4 | 38 | 14 | Metering gaps, DT overload |
| F-027 | 14.1 | 19 | 7 | Billing lag |
| F-039 | 27.8 | 51 | 19 | Theft/unmetered load |
| F-042 | 11.6 | 12 | 5 | Technical (long LT lines) |
| F-058 | 19.9 | 29 | 11 | DT failures |
- Figures are illustrative and anonymised for this example
- Loss drivers cross-checked against DT metering and consumer indexing data
- Used directly as input to the prioritisation matrix in the next step
Illustrative · Growthifye-preparedProcess & Systems Maturity Map
Visual maturity scoring of metering-to-cash, outage management and control-room automation against a 5-level digital maturity framework.
Sample excerpt · Digital & automation maturity scorecard (illustrative extract) — illustrative figures
| Function | Current Level (1-5) | Target Level | Key Gap | Automation Readiness |
| SCADA/DMS coverage | 2 | 4 | Partial feeder telemetry | Medium |
| AMI/Smart metering | 1 | 4 | No AMI deployed | High |
| Outage management | 2 | 4 | Manual dispatch, no OMS | Medium |
| GIS asset mapping | 3 | 4 | Incomplete LT network data | High |
| Billing & collection | 3 | 4 | Reconciliation delays | Medium |
- Scoring uses a 5-level maturity model (Ad hoc to Optimised)
- Directly feeds automation and IT/OT roadmap prioritisation
Baseline Gap Register & Data Quality Memo
Consolidated register of identified gaps across data, process and technology, flagged by severity and data confidence, used to scope the next phase.
Sample excerpt · Gap register extract — illustrative figures
| Gap ID | Category | Description | Severity | Data Confidence |
| G-03 | Metering | 18% DTs unmetered | High | Medium |
| G-07 | Process | Manual outage logging, 24-48hr lag | High | High |
| G-11 | SCADA | Feeder telemetry coverage <40% | Medium | High |
| G-15 | Billing | Consumer indexing mismatch ~9% | Medium | Medium |
- Severity and confidence ratings guide sequencing in the prioritisation step
- Data confidence flags where further field validation is recommended
Outcomes
- A quantified, feeder-level view of where AT&C losses and reliability issues originate
- An objective digital and automation maturity score benchmarked against peer utilities
- A prioritised, evidence-based gap register ready to feed the next 'Prioritise & Design' step
- Shared understanding across distribution, IT/OT and commercial teams on baseline performance
Questions clients ask
Do we need complete SCADA/AMI data before starting this audit?
No. We work with whatever data exists — billing, GIS, manual logs — and explicitly flag data gaps as part of the deliverable, rather than waiting for full digital coverage.
How is this different from a standard energy audit?
We combine loss and reliability analysis with process mapping and a formal digital maturity assessment, giving a technology-and-process view, not just an energy balance.
Can this baseline be run across multiple circles simultaneously?
Yes, the methodology is designed to scale; we typically pilot on one circle first to calibrate the scoring framework before rolling out across additional circles.
