Five grid islanding schemes to be implemented in India
India, New Delhi: A total of five grid islanding schemes are currently under development while two others have been proposed.
Image source: T&D India
India, New Delhi: A total of five grid islanding schemes are currently under development while two others have been proposed.
A report by Central Electricity Authority (CEA)on grid islanding suggests that till late 2020, a total of five grid islanding schemes—one each in the North and South India, and three in the East India—were under implementation as of late 2020. Besides, one scheme in the northern region and one in the western region, are in proposal stage. The Northeast India has no islanding scheme—either operational or proposed.
Currently, India has a total of 28 grid islanding schemes, which includes 21 under operation and the aforementioned seven that are either under implementation or proposed.
The concept of grid islanding assumed national importance after the major grid disturbance of July 2012.
The CEA report explained that grid islanding or simply “islanding” is a defence mechanism as a final stage in which a part of the system is islanded (or isolated) from a disturbed grid so that if healthy, this subpart could survive in isolation from the rest of the grid. The basic objective of an islanding scheme is to avoid a total blackout, and quicker restoration of a failed grid.
The CEA report also observed that islanding should take place only when all other defence plans have been allowed their full opportunity to bring back and maintain system integrity.
The report also cautioned that having a very large number of islanding schemes may not be in the interest of secure and integrated operations of the grid. “Opening of a large number of elements simultaneously may trigger mal-operation and the islanding scheme itself could become a cause of grid disturbance,” the report said.
#Central Electricity Authority#grid failure prevention#grid islanding#India