Digitalisation is the key to building a responsive and inclusive energy future in ASEAN, with smart technologies at its core. With utilities under pressure to modernise grid infrastructure, maintain reliability, and integrate cleaner energy sources, digitalisation tools are essential to enhance efficiency, transparency, and customer engagement while safeguarding energy system integration.

We spoke to Sanjiv Dhal, CEO (APAC) of Secure, to find out more.

How do smart technologies help create a more affordable and customer-focused energy landscape?

Secure’s smart meters enable real-time data collection, remote monitoring, and two-way communication between utilities and consumers. These features support dynamic pricing, faster service responses, and better load forecasting, making energy delivery more efficient and affordable. For consumers, this means more control over usage and costs, while utilities benefit from improved operations and stronger customer engagement.

Digitising the Low Voltage (LV) network adds further value by enabling rapid fault detection and resolution. It also allows utilities to conduct dynamic load flow studies with up to 250 nodes, helping them anticipate scenarios as more prosumers, such as households with rooftop solar, join the grid. With advanced simulation software, utilities can model grid behaviour and run stress tests under realistic conditions to prepare for future challenges.

Together, these digital tools empower utilities and consumers alike to use energy more efficiently, supporting a more affordable, sustainable, and customer-focused energy system across ASEAN.

How are innovations in submetering changing the way utilities manage energy access, protect revenue, and build trust with consumers?

Recent advances in submetering are helping utilities improve energy access, secure revenue, and strengthen consumer confidence. Secure’s submetering solution, for example, uses wireless automatic supply source detection to distinguish between mains and DG connections seamlessly, ensuring accurate accounting and fair billing.

The system is flexible, operating in both prepaid and credit modes, and can be configured in the field to simplify processes such as debt recovery. Additional features such as load limiting, bifurcated accounting, and user-friendly interfaces further enhance transparency, reliability, and trust between utilities and consumers.

How is Secure helping utilities modernise their grid infrastructure while balancing reliability and the growing need for cleaner energy sources?

Secure supports utilities in upgrading their grid infrastructure through its grid metering solution, which provides accurate, real-time data to improve network management. By offering detailed insights into energy flow, losses, and consumption patterns, this technology helps utilities optimise performance, cut technical losses, and plan more effectively for future demand.

This visibility is critical as more renewable and decentralised energy sources are added to the system, ensuring that reliability is not compromised. In Southeast Asia’s shift toward cleaner energy, Secure enables utilities to make better decisions and build smarter, more sustainable grids.

All solutions are developed with cybersecurity compliance in mind, protecting the integrity and security of grid data. For example, the online platform eWatch Grid tracks bulk power and power quality to help entities maintain network health and grid discipline.

How do Secure’s smart metering and network monitoring solutions improve efficiency and transparency for both utilities and consumers?

Secure’s smart metering and network monitoring solutions are designed to make modern energy networks simpler and more transparent for both utilities and consumers.

Our prepaid smart meters provide consumers with accurate, real-time data on their energy use, enabling them to manage consumption and costs more effectively. They can buy exactly the amount of electricity they need, when they need it. Data from around two million prepaid smart meters in North Bihar shows that, on average, customers top up 3.7 times per month. For utilities, these smart meters provide visibility and control right down to the consumer’s premises, improving service reliability, affordability, and participation in the energy transition.

Alongside this, our LV and Medium Voltage (MV) network monitoring solutions help utilities manage the growing challenges of distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar and electric vehicle chargers. These tools improve network visibility and enable detailed data collection, analysis, and visualisation, providing utilities with a clear picture of network health. They are also essential for running dynamic load flow studies, which support efficient handling of new connection requests, assessing the impact of rooftop solar or EV charger installations, and ensuring distribution transformer networks are adequately sized.

Together, these solutions give both utilities and consumers the tools to manage energy more efficiently, sustainably, and securely in today’s evolving energy landscape.

About Sanjiv Dhal

Sanjiv Dhal is the Chief Executive Officer (APAC) at Secure. He has been instrumental in building the C&I and M&C markets in India, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East from the ground up to a position of industry leadership. With deep expertise in utilities, channel marketing, and market development, he has played a pivotal role in expanding Secure’s presence and influence in the energy sector. Alongside his strategic leadership, Sanjiv's love for the Hindi language, sense of humour, and agility with the spoken word bring joy and smiles to all those who come across him.