NEW DELHI: India’s power sector has come a long way since the historic outage of 2012, marking a significant evolution in its transmission and distribution network. As the country recently witnessed a surge in power demand to an unprecedented 250 gigawatts (GW) on May 30, surpassing earlier projections, the nation’s cross-country transmission grid demonstrated resilience, with no reported unscheduled outages.
This milestone represents a stark contrast to the events of July 30 and 31, 2012, when India faced the world’s largest blackout as the northern and eastern grids collapsed under overload, leaving 620 million people without power for over 13 hours. Since then, concerted efforts have transformed India’s transmission network into the world’s largest unified grid, enabling efficient load management and power distribution across regions. Operators at Grid-India now oversee the intricate task of balancing power flow by leveraging thermal, nuclear, hydro, solar, and wind energy sources. Advanced technologies, such as synchrophasors and energy management systems, monitor the grid in real-time, ensuring adherence to safety limits and enabling swift response to deviations.
In addition to real-time monitoring, meticulous planning plays a pivotal role in maintaining grid stability. Computer simulations assess demand-supply scenarios, accounting for diverse energy sources and inter-region transfer limits. This foresight allows for proactive measures, such as coordinating power plant shutdowns for maintenance, to minimize disruptions. The integration of renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind power, has further diversified India’s energy mix. Solar power abundance during daytime facilitates coal-fired plant adjustments, while hydroelectricity supplements peak-hour demand. Gas-fired plants serve as backup, ensuring uninterrupted power supply.
Crucially, measures to curb overdrawal, a significant factor in the 2012 grid failure, have yielded positive results. Instances of overdrawal have reduced substantially, thanks to enhanced coordination between national and state load dispatchers and improved adherence to grid codes. India’s power sector’s journey from vulnerability to resilience underscores the nation’s commitment to sustainable energy infrastructure and efficient management, positioning it for continued growth and reliability in meeting evolving energy demands.
