GRID FAILURE - WHY? REMEDY…..

GRID FAILURE - WHY? REMEDY…..

India experienced 2 consecutive massive grid failures on 30 & 31 July, 2012 due to unlikely indiscipline amongst northern DISCOMs while importing power through western & eastern regional grids. It happened possibly due to total power transmission failure in Agra-Gwalior junction grid corridor as a consequential effect of sharp reduction in grid frequency while receivers, perhaps, were illegally drawing excess power than declared scheduled from DISCOMS of western & eastern region. 1^st grid failure on 30^th July caused huge suffering to as good as 400 million people of 9 States including Union Territories of North & North-West regions who were without power for almost 15 hours from 2.30 AM. Similarly, 2^nd grid failure on 31^st July caused huge suffering to half of our population i.e. 600 million people of 22 States including Union Territories of North, North-East & East regions who were without power for almost 12 hours from 1.00 PM. Such massive collapse of northern grid last happened in 2002 due to some technical snag without any suffering to other state grids.           

Mr. M Veerappa Moily has just taken charge of Union Power Ministry on 31 July, 2012 from Mr. Sushil Kumar Shinde who was holding this portfolio for a pretty long time since 2006.

As advised through twitter on 31 July, 2012, I would request the new Power Minister to enforce/take care of following provisos / suggestions for stabilization of national grid:

1. All DISCOM shall strictly adhere to grid discipline.

2. An automatic islanding mechanism should be in place to isolate the utility from the grid who draws more power than declared schedule or there should be a load flow control/export of power beyond which excess drawal is not possible by any utility.

3. The coal based thermal units of power stations shall have effective "60/100 % HP/LP Bypass" facility for the BTG Set along with coordinated facility of switching over (with minimum time lag prior to actuation of over speed trip) to instantaneous "HOUSE LOAD" operation of the unit to take care of 100% load throw off condition due to grid failure.

4. When there is huge load throw off due to grid failure (during export of power to other regions/sectors/DISCOMs) instantaneous dumping of load/tripping of designated thermal units from the system to arrest sharp rising trend of grid frequency to the extent possible within limit to avert total collapse of the then connected grids.

5. Necessary facility for safe islanding of the normal grid (then exporting power) from the affected grid (where failure occurred) as a safety measure from total collapse.

6. Formation of a suitable Committee consisting of legendary experts/experienced engineers in this field to investigate the root cause of failure and recommendation thereof for necessary corrective measure; however, implementation of the recommendations shall be given top priority with a definite time bound target.

7. To take up the issue with other foreign DISCOMs of international repute for getting best possible feedback from them to resolve our crisis once for all.

Hope, the Hon'ble Power Minister will examine the above mentioned provisos / suggestions or other proposals already submitted by selected experts to stabilize our national grid.