ministry of power

Smart grid to put India’s power network on par with China
A decision on rolling out a Rs 239 Crore proposal to deploy smart grid devices all over the India’s entire power transmission network is to be taken up. It is proposed to integrate all
five regional electricity grids in India by 2014.
 This inclusion of the new smart grid devices will put India’s electricity grid
on par with China’s wide area monitoring systems placed across its six
grids.
In India, at present, the north, west and eastern regions are integrally connected through strong transmission links to form what is called the NEW grid. In about a couple of years, the southern region is to be completely integrated with the NEW grid to form one of the largest synchronous interconnections in the world.







What causes power grid failure?
Recently, East, North and North-East regions of India went through a severe blackout for several hours after the
sudden collapse of the northern grid.
This article endeavors to answer some general questions pertaining to Power grid.
What constitutes a Power grid?
An electricity or power grid is a network of power lines that withdraws electricity from a generating station. It
has 3 main constituents:
 Generating stations- The electric power generated is enhanced to a higher voltage-at which it connects to the
transmission network.
 Transmission lines – The transmission network will carry the power long distances–often across state lines, and
sometimes across international boundaries, until it reaches its wholesale customer (usually the company that
owns the local distribution network).
Current Affairs Published on www.gktoday.in from January 1, 2012 to
September 10, 2012
 Substations – Here, the power is reduced to a lower voltage—from a transmission level voltage to a distribution
level voltage. As it leaves the substation, it enters the distribution wiring. Finally, upon arrival at the service
location, the power is stepped down again from the distribution voltage to the required service voltage(s).
How does it function?
 The grid functions in a narrow frequency band of 49.5Hz to 50.2Hz.
 The frequency and voltage of the grid is monitored by the load dispatch center on the basis of the drawl schedule
of the respective states of every region.
 When there is excess drawl or less generation of power the grid frequency falls and it increases when there is
excess supply or the less drawl.
What is the reason behind grid collapse?
 A grid fails when the frequency plunges below the lower limit of the (49.5-50.2Hz) band or shoots up beyond the
upper limit.
 As a result, transmission lines stop accepting power supply and other grid constituents, including the generating
stations go out of order.
How is it restored?
 Power restoration is a complicated process which involves all the grid constituents.
 The grid management authorities start restoring the transmission lines and at the same time make alternative
arrangements for electricity supply.
 Generating stations are restarted.
 Among all power projects, coal-based plants take the longest to resume operations.
How is the fault detected?
 The task is difficult as the authorities have to analyze the details of per-second consumption and supply by each
constituent of the grid at the time of the failure.
 As a regular exercise, the regional load dispatch center authorities keep warning states and regulatory authorities
at regular intervals about possible collapse due to over drawl or less drawl of electricity.