Promoting Artificial Intelligence-Enhanced Distribution Grids for Sustainability and Resilience

approved

The technical assistance (TA) will support modernization of Bangladesh's power distribution infrastructure by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to enhance sustainability, operational efficiency, service reliability, and climate resilience. Building on the existing pipeline of Asian Development Bank (ADB) power distribution projects, the TA will help develop an AI-based energy management system for integration into future lending projects to create smarter, more resilient, and sustainable power distribution systems. Specifically, the TA will (i) identify suitable AI technologies and assess their feasibility for integration into the power distribution network; (ii) work with the Government of Bangladesh to select, implement, and evaluate pilot testing of innovative AI technologies to demonstrate their applicability and benefits; (iii) develop AI-based energy management system components for inclusion in future investment projects to be financed by ADB or other development partners, including support for due diligence of these AI components; and (iv) strengthen institutional capacity of power distribution companies Northern Electricity Supply Company Public Limited Company (NESCO), Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCL), and Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB), as well as of the Power Division of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, in areas such as AI applications, digitalization, environmental and social safeguards, fiduciary management, and gender mainstreaming.