The task force also recommended benchmarks for transmission network availability. (file)
New Delhi:
The power ministry on Tuesday said the government has accepted a report of a task force or expert panel, which paves the way for a modern and smart power transmission system in India.
The country will soon have a modern and smart power transmission system with features such as real-time monitoring and automated operation of the grid, better situational assessment, ability to increase the share of renewables in the power-mix, enhanced utilization of transmission capacity. Greater resilience against cyber-attacks as well as natural calamities, centralized and data-driven decision making, reduction in forced outages through self-correction systems, etc., said a statement from the power ministry.
These and other recommendations are part of a report by a task force constituted by the Ministry of Power in September 2021, headed by the Chairman and Managing Director of POWERGRID, to suggest ways to modernize the transmission sector and make it smart and future-ready. ,
Other members of the task force included representatives from State Transmission Utilities, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Central Transmission Utilities, MeiTY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology), IIT Kanpur, NSGPMU and EPTA.
It added that the report of the committee was accepted by the government last week after discussions with Union Power Minister RK Singh.
During the meeting, the minister emphasized that a modern transmission grid is critical for achieving the government’s vision of providing 24×7 reliable and affordable power to people and meeting sustainability goals.
RK Singh said that a fully automated, digitally controlled, rapid response grid that is resilient to cyber attacks and natural calamities is the need of the hour.
The minister said such a system should ensure the safety of the grid and isolation of specific areas in case of any contingency to prevent major outages.
Appreciating the efforts of the task force, Singh directed the CEA to frame necessary standards and regulations for adoption of the identified technical solutions and set benchmark performance levels so that a robust and modern transmission network is built in the country Could
The Task Force in its report has recommended several technological and digital solutions that can be adopted to make the State Transmission Grid future-ready.
These recommendations have been clubbed under the categories of modernization of existing transmission system; the use of advanced technology in construction and supervision, operation and management; smart and future-ready transmission systems; and up-skilling of the workforce.
The task force has proposed centralized remote monitoring, operation of substations including SCADA, Wide Area Measurement System (WAMS) using Flexible AC Transmission Devices (FACTs), Dynamic Line Loading System (DLL), PMU and Data Analytics, Hybrid AC/HVDC System has recommended. AI/ML algorithms, HTLS conductors, process bus based protection automation and control GIS/hybrid substations, cyber security, energy storage systems, and predictive maintenance techniques using drones and robots in construction/inspection of transmission assets.
The use of robots is expected to not only reduce human intervention and life risks/hazards but also save time while ensuring accuracy during construction and maintenance.
The task force also recommended benchmarks for transmission network availability and voltage control based on the performance of global transmission utilities.
While the short to medium term recommendations will be implemented over 1-3 years, the long term interventions are proposed to be implemented over a period of 3-5 years.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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