Infocus
Rich Rewards: Energy efficiency best practices adopted by PSPCL
Thermal power remains the backbone of the country’s energy economy as 70 per cent of the installed capacity is fired by fossil fuels (predominantly coal, besides gas and diesel). Consequently, thermal power plants (TPPs) are […]
Investing in R&M: Giving a new lease of life to existing plants
The renovation and modernisation (R&M) of coal-based thermal power plants (TPPs) is of significant importance as it improves generation availability as well as safety and reliability. The all-India plant load factor of coal-based TPPs has […]
O&M Strategies: Best practices adopted in thermal power plants
Coal-based generation capacity forms a significant proportion (over 60 per cent) of India’s total installed capacity. Hence, it is imperative for plant operators to adopt operations and maintenance (O&M) best practices to ensure efficiency in […]
Demand Slump: Tough times for the coal-based equipment market
The scenario continues to remain bleak for coal-based equipment manufacturers in India. In the past six months, only five major boiler, turbine and generator (BTG) equipment orders, aggregating 4,660 MW in capacity and Rs 143.06 […]
Cost Stability: Reworked guidelines aim to reduce impact of imported coal price fluctuations
Coal continues to be the mainstay of India’s power generation activity, with a share of over 60 per cent in the total installed capacity (as of December 2015). However, over the years, the costs of […]
Notable Progress: Improvements in capacity addition and production augur well for coal-based power
Coal-based power is vital for meeting the country’s energy needs, given that it accounts for 60 per cent of the total installed capacity base and 80 per cent of the total generation. A significant amount […]
Information Value: Analysing meter data to improve power quality
Meter data is a storehouse of valuable information for any distribution utility. Consumer data can be precisely recorded through a smart meter and used through the medium of data analytics for myriad purposes, including predicting […]
Integrated Control: DMS deployment increasing distribution network efficiency
While an interconnected grid has led to several benefits, it has also resulted in a number of complexities that did not exist in traditional girds. Centralised and distributed power generation, intermittent renewable power generation and […]
Automation Initiatives: BESCOM and TPDDL increase IT adoption to improve efficiency
The health of the distribution segment has been a prime concern for some time now as its growth has been thwarted by operational inefficiencies and the lack of timely tariff revisions. The national average aggregate […]
Enhancing Systems: Conductor, transformer and substation technology advances
Over the past few years, the requirements of power utilities across the world have changed. This has necessitated equipment providers to make advancements in conductor, transformer and substation technologies. The adoption of the new substation […]
Sourcing Strategies: Focus on effective power procurement methods
The Indian power distribution segment is undergoing development and reforms at various levels. Apart from high aggregate technical and commercial losses, it is dealing with rising power purchase costs and other financial constraints. Even though […]
Loss Reduction: Distribution utilities resort to revenue protection measures
Over the past decade, distribution utilities in India have undertaken a number of measures to reduce network losses and increase revenue collection efficiency. These measures include strengthening the physical infrastructure, improving metering technology and penetration, […]
Progress Update: Status of works under the IPDS and DDUGJY
In the past 20 months, a range of initiatives have been launched by the central government to revive the distribution segment, which has been dealing with issues like ageing infrastructure, high operational losses and financial […]