We are one of the most extensive operating synchronous grids in the world

The current per capita power consumption is around 1208 kWh  and is expected to touch 1500 Kwh in the next 3-4 years. Analysing this market growth Dhavaleshwar Puvvati, Product Manager, product Engineering and Murali Shankar Gopalakrishnan, Vice President, product Engineering Fluent grid Limited, talk about the various aspects which will primarily improve the infrastructure’s efficiency and dependability to meet the upcoming demand.
Please provide us with a brief   overview of our current grid  infrastructure.
In the last seven decades, our grid has been built brick by brick and has  grown manifold. Today we are more than 650+ generating plants of multiple fuel types connected with >460000 Ckm of transmission lines at 200kv level and above, including 20+ world-class HVDC installations to feed 1.4 billion  population under 80+ DISCOMs. We stand as one of the most extensive operating synchronous grids in the world; supervised in operation through  33 SLDCs, 5 RLDCs and 1 NLDC; and we stand as an esteemed member of GO15, the association of the Very Large Power Grid Operators representing more than half of the world’s electricity  demand.
Per capita power consumption in India will gradually rise with its energy-producing capacity. What steps are utilities and grid businesses taking to improve the infrastructure’s efficiency and dependability?
As per the latest data, the per capita power consumption is around 1208 KWh; and is expected to touch 1500 KWh in the next 3-4 years, fuelled by  socio-economic and technological progress. We are looking at three aspects to improve the infrastructure’s efficiency and dependability: first, unlocking more capacity inside existing transmission lines by leveraging new-age technologies;  second, building National-Level High Capacity Corridors; to meet the upcoming demand. Thirdly, the aim is to uplift the revenue/ delivery through smart metering, network strengthening, IT/OT  systems, energyefficient power devices and consumer appliances.
How is India’s Smart Grid developing? How are we addressing the difficulties unique to the geography as we consider India’s  “Power for All” goal?
India’s Smart Grid journey is nearly a decade old now, with good coherence between the policymakers, enablers, OEMs and utilities. But the last leg of this stride is consumers are yet to be made as active partners in this journey through engagement in Negawatt Programs that encapsulates demand response participation to enable demand side management through dynamic pricing models and critical peak pricing. The revamped distribution sector scheme is tailor-made as a  catalyst with inclusive technological, policy-oriented, sustainment and O and M focused, which can eap all-around benefits for stakeholders.
What are the infrastructure O and M challenges for the smart grid? How are we dealing with it?
Smart Grid as technology is yet to transition into the operational model, and it’s likely to take some time to become a business model inclined, saying that infrastructure is very diverse and cannot be colloquially subjected to one sphere. We have the electrical, IOT systems, telecom, workforce, skill and data as paramount to all issues. We have a biased approach  towards the deployment regarding investment, technology selection  and implementation strategies. The infrastructure paradigms are yet to get institutionalised.
How are we innovating to maintain grid safety when creating cyber-critical goods and services?
The cyber fortification of strategic infrastructure is a much sought, debated and needed aspect today. Especially with the news of our neighbour pulling strings on our  grid safety, we already have he policymakers and national agencies working hand-in-hand for grid safety from design to deployment to operations by closely working with OEMs and operating bodies. All AMI deployments are being closely scrutinised for vulnerabilities and penetrations with appropriate policies  d governance for implementing system hardening guidelines during the  production cut-over.
Could you share your thoughts on a grid infrastructure that is RE-integrated?
While appreciating the near achievement of constituting the 175  GW of RE capacity before time, there is also a much-thought-out process in its integration with existing grid infrastructure. The intermittency of the RE sources poses a challenge to availability, forecasting and dispatch functions. The establishment of 11 REMCs in 2020 has already enabled us to orchestrate this integration  in terms of operations and visibility at generation and transmission levels. The next stage would be to foray into the DERs at the local grid level and achieve harmonisation at the distribution level.