Power sector works towards maintaining grid stability after PM’s 5th April blackout call

Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed for a 9-minute blackout on 5th April 2020 at 9 PM, which has put officials in the power ministry in a fix on how to quickly devise a strategy in order to prevent a possible grid collapse and resultant blackout throughout the country. The grid stability in the country is maintained by keeping power frequency within a range specified by the Central Electricity Regulatory Authority (CERC). Any deviation from the identified frequency is managed by increasing or decreasing power flow in the grid. Sudden drop or increase in frequency causes a collapse.

The Prime Minister’ call for a blackout urging citizens to light a lamp, candle or shine a mobile flashlight to dispel the darkness spread by the coronavirus is expected to result in a sudden drop in power demand across the country and even disturb grid frequency, creating a possible grid collapse. Power System Operation Corporation Limited (POSOCO), a wholly owned Government of India Enterprise entrusted with the task of ensuring the integrated operation of the grid in a reliable, efficient, and secure manner, has also been sounded off to plan scheduling of power with all the five Regional Load Despatch Centres and National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC), so that grid frequency is maintained even if demand drops suddenly during the blackout.

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