The Maharashtra state government has directed power generators and distributors in the Mumbai region to check if Mumbai can develop an emergency grid as an alternative to the existing islanding system.
The directive issued by the state energy minister comes in the wake of a major power outage in the city earlier this month on October 12, 2020. The minister has also asked them to check the feasibility of expanding the scope of the existing islanding mechanism to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to the metro region. Mumbai currently has a separate grid. In case of any major failure in the regional or national grids, this islanding system helps Mumbai avoid power cuts.