India’s transmission network has been growing steadily in recent years to support the shift towards renewable energy. With ambitious climate goals to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, substantial investments are being made to modernise grid infrastructure at both the interstate and intra-state levels. As transmission utilities prepare to manage bidirectional energy flows and accommodate larger amounts of variable renewable energy, they are integrating advanced technology and digital solutions to maintain grid stability and improve responsiveness. Experts from top transmission companies share their perspectives on sector developments, major challenges and future prospects…
What is your assessment of the progress in the power sector, specifically in the power transmission segment, over the past year?
B. B. Mehta
Electrical power is a critical resource, considered one of the key enablers of the techno-commercial growth of any developing country, such as ours. The economic and social infrastructure development in our societies now demands and deserves urgent, cogent and incisive consideration and attention to improve current practices in energy utilisation. Hence, the power sector is being given utmost priority in budgetary provisions and policy formulations.
The present electrical network is embracing major disruptive changes. The substantial growth in all categories is making the situation complex due to the integration of various energy sources to meet the ever-increasing load demands. Moreover, interconnected grid substations face the challenge of handling this complex, multi directional power flow to ensure 24×7 system availability with the rise of multiple and multi-pattern generators and prosumers utilising distributed energy resources (DERs).
There is extensive planning for new projects, improvements in quality power and the establishment of manufacturing hubs, contributing to the overall growth of the power sector. We are at a crucial stage in the competition, facing challenges in our acceptance of modern and innovative technologies against age-old concepts. This transitional phase takes time as we strive for change, fostering a conducive environment for all to learn and engage in order to achieve our goals.
T. Jagath Reddy
The Transmission Corporation of Telangana (TGTRANSCO) has made tremendous progress over the past one year. The utility has introduced the latest technology, intelligent electronic devices and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as the use of multifacial sources of energy including renewables, which has been increasing at a very fast pace.
Further, the utility has made significant progress in enhancing its power transmission infrastructure over the past year. The following are some key highlights:
- Power transformers have been augmented in 34 extra high tension (EHT) substations, thereby adding 2,666 MVA, along with nine new substations with a capacity addition of 1,127 MVA. Twenty-seven EHT lines spanning 782.86 ckt km have also been added. The state met a record peak demand of 15,623 MW on March 8, 2024, with a maximum grid consumption of 308.54 MUs recorded on March 14, 2024. Transmission availability is 99.98 per cent and losses are 2.30 per cent for 2023-24. Telangana’s per capita consumption is 2,349 kWh.
- TGTRANSCO has adopted advanced technologies such as high temperature low sag (HTLS) conductors, plug and switch system modules, monopoles, insulated crossarms and outdoor gas insulated substations. These technologies have enhanced transmission efficiency by relieving transmission congestion, minimising right-of-way (RoW) issues, easing space constraints for the expansion of existing substations, reducing losses and improving grid reliability.
- Existing towers were replaced with narrow-based towers in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation area for road expansion.
- Geographical information system (GIS) was deployed for asset mapping in collaboration with the National Remote Sensing Agency, and its integration with the enterprise resource planning system.
- Remote operation of substations was implemented.
However, challenges remain. These include:
- The laying of new transmission lines is a major hurdle, especially in densely populated areas due to RoW issues.
- Due to the complexity of the state grid and the penetration of renewable energy, cyber threats are a growing concern as the grid becomes increasingly interconnected and digitalised.
What are the biggest challenges facing the segment and how can these be resolved?
B.B. Mehta
The integration of renewable energy sources poses significant challenges for the electrical grid due to its intermittent and variable nature. Additionally, the efficient evacuation of power from renewable energy sources to the grid is a complex issue. To address these challenges, various solutions can be adopted, including the use of supercapacitors, battery back-up systems, pumped storage plants and AI-driven system integration. Furthermore, categorising utility drives and implementing government policies can also contribute to the successful integration of renewable energy into the grid.
Massive system outages are a major concern for the electrical grid. To mitigate these risks, solutions such as using static synchronous compensators and load distribution regulators with controlled regulation, implementing microgrids with islanding schemes, deploying DERs with proper operational schedules, establishing regulatory mechanisms for system control and utilising phasor measurement units with wide area monitoring systems can be undertaken.
Further, as essential loads grow and passive loads become more prevalent, the balance between the source and load parameters can be disrupted. To address this issue, strategies such as migrating to alternative energy sources, conducting power quality analysis to identify and mitigate issues, encouraging self-sustaining sources, implementing government policies to promote energy efficiency and conservation, and exploring the potential of green hydrogen and green ammonia can be applied.
The growing uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) presents both opportunities and challenges for the electrical grid. To manage this influx, solutions such as encouraging home-based solar plants, implementing government policies and subsidies to promote EV adoption, utilising smart grid concepts and exploring vehicle-to-grid technologies can
be considered.
The modernisation of the transmission system is essential to ensure the grid’s reliability and efficiency. However, this transition can be complex and costly. To facilitate the process, proper planning for renovation and augmentation, the use of parallel stations, compact GIS, hybrid stations and the integration of local resources are potential solutions.
Furthermore, the maintenance of transmission lines, particularly those located in hilly terrain or inaccessible areas, presents significant challenges. Adopting new technologies such as drone-based surveys, utilising modern monitoring systems, implementing hotline on-board maintenance, and employing advanced tools such as binoculars, GPS-based apps, high resolution cameras, drones and unmanned aerial vehicles can improve maintenance efficiency and reliability.
The operation of the transmission system faces various challenges, including big data management, grid network expansion, administrative and operational issues, and the need for greater efficiency and reliability. Addressing these challenges requires solutions such as adopting smart grid technologies and centralised control centres for remote access, implementing virtual protection systems, utilising augmented reality and virtual reality in system operations, adopting asset management practices, and embracing modern technological advancements.
T. Jagath Reddy
Due to the ever-increasing demand and growth of solutions such as EVs, state utilities are facing several challenges. These include the increased penetration of renewable energy sources; growth in IT industries, data centres and new projects; grid modernisation and the risk of cyberattacks.
Power transformers and transmission have been in service for over 25 years, leading to failures and increased maintenance costs. To solve the issues with ageing plants, investing in modernising existing infrastructure and replacing outdated equipment with more efficient technologies is essential. Implementing health index monitoring for power transformers and other assets should also be undertaken. The utility is vulnerable to cyberattacks, which can disrupt operations and compromise critical infrastructure. Therefore, cybersecurity measures for the state load despatch centre and all EHT substations have been upgraded and are being continuously monitored for any cyber threats.
Additionally, there is a lack of training for personnel. For this, an online live training programme called TS-SMART (Transmission System: Safety, Maintenance and Restoration Techniques) has been undertaken for nearly 2,775 maintenance staff within the organisation.
What is your outlook for the transmission segment in the near to medium term?
B.B. Mehta
We are at a crossroads, needing a pathway to grow and strengthen the interand intra-state transmission systems that play a major role in power transactions. Ensuring sufficiency in terms of redundancy, with at least N-1 criterion, is essential for better system stability.
Power players in the electrical system market are increasingly adopting the concept of power generation at one point, where they invest available resources and use them at their preferred locations by installing industrial units with cost-effective production set-ups. This simple but strong concept is called open access. Various power system models, governed by different rules, regulations, inter-unit agreements, etc., determine the availability of quality and reliable power at load points. Additionally, the integration of renewable energy has become the preferred choice
for many.
The concept of One Nation, One Grid, One Frequency prompts us to operate in the system as one network, integrating all regions into a common system with one frequency. Therefore, to maintain system stability and ensure that all electrical parameters remain within the allowable zone, a proper transmission system is essential. This is another major expectation for the power sector.
Hence, the next three to five years will be crucial, serving as stepping stones for the growth of the country’s power sector in the race for economic growth and setting an example on the global stage. We have outlined other expectations for the sector:
- Government policies should actively revisit existing market structures and account for technological changes and the growth of inter-and intra-regional trade in the power sector. This will help shape the emerging business environment and encourage energy players to operate smoothly.
- A dynamic industry structure should be established to attract and cultivate opportunities for more private players to participate in the power sector, fostering a competitive environment.
- State transmission utilities and central transmission utilities should operate in sync to develop a growth-oriented environment in the power sector.
- Quality-focused utilities are expected to experience a boom in the coming days, as the Indian government has established structured guidelines to support their development.
- The price-sensitive, cutting-edge principle will soon disappear, and utilities will focus on quality factors to remain competitive. While growth may be slow, it will be steady.
- Technologies will play a crucial role in controlling different processes, starting from inception to the final outcome of products. Therefore, quality will be key for sustenance.
- We have already embraced the challenges, fostering the mindset that we can and will do better.
T. Jagath Reddy
The outlook for the transmission segment in the near to medium term is positive, driven by several factors:
- Increasing demand for electricity: Growing population, urbanisation and economic development are leading to a rise in electricity demand. This necessitates the expansion and modernisation of transmission infrastructure to meet the growing energy needs.
- Integration of renewable energy: The increasing penetration of renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind and hydro, requires a robust transmission grid to effectively evacuate power from generation sites to load centres.
- Grid modernisation: The need for a more efficient and reliable power grid is becoming increasingly evident. This will involve upgrading existing infrastructure, implementing advanced technologies such as smart grids, and enhancing grid resilience to withstand natural disasters and cyber threats.
- Investments in transmission infrastructure: Utilities are investing heavily in transmission projects to improve grid connectivity, enhance reliability and support the integration of renewable energy.
- Technological advancements: Advances in transmission technologies, such as flexible AC transmission systems and the upgradation of voltage through the retrofitting of existing corridors and lines with insulated cross arms and HTLS conductors, are enabling more efficient and reliable power transfer.
Overall, the near-to medium-term outlook for the transmission segment in the power sector is promising. The increasing demand for electricity, integration of renewable energy and grid modernisation initiatives are driving investments and technological advancements in this area. By addressing the challenges and capitalising on the opportunities, the transmission segment can play a crucial role in ensuring a reliable and sustainable power supply.
