Quality of Power Will Improve With Setting Up of More Sub-Stations, Say Officials

The Power Grid Corporation (PGCIL) as well as state-based transmission companies have set up sub-stations across the country at a total capacity of 75,902 megavolt amperes (MVA) in the financial year 2022-23. Of these, the PGCIL has set up substations with a total capacity of 14,850 MVA in several states.

But it is the state-based transmission companies that have set up sub-stations with a capacity of 21,647 MVA. The sub-stations are for both transmission as well as distribution. Transmission sub-stations are at a bigger capacity to receive power from the power generator directly. Distribution sub-stations, meanwhile, bring power to homes, shops and establishments.

“Out of the total 75,902 MVA capacity substations, 23,667 MVA are of 220kV. These sub-stations bring power to the domestic as well as commercial sectors,” said a senior PGCIL official.

He said following the setting up of the sub-stations, the quality of power in various area of the cities, towns or villages would improve. “In many areas, new sub-stations were set up as the present sub-station was not able to take the load. In other areas, the capacity of the sub-stations was increased. Due to this, the quality of power in these areas would have been better. People who were facing voltage problems or frequent power cuts would have better power supply after the commissioning of the sub-station in their areas,” said the official.

The last financial year also saw a private company, Linxon, winning an order from the PGCIL. “The sub-station-91 package award corresponds to the transmission network expansion in Gujarat to increase its available transfer capacity from the interstate transmission system. The extension is expected to strengthen the power grid in the region meeting the high demands for electricity in a growing society,” said the official.

The scope of this transmission scheme includes the augmentation of transformation capacity at 765/400 kV ICT in Banaskantha substation by 1×1500 MVA, and the establishment of a new 400 kV 2nd D/c line in Banaskantha-Sankhari.

“It is scheduled to be commissioned matching with the establishment of the 400/220 kV Prantij substation and the 400kV Sankhari-Prantij double-circuit line in the first half of 2025,” the official said.

In total, Linxon is supplying one 765 kV bay and seven 400 kV bays under the AIS substation package.

Apart from setting up sub-stations, the PGCIL as well as state-based transmission companies have laid 14625km transmission lines across the country. “Out of the 14625km, PGCIL has laid 1475km transmission lines and the remaining kms were set up by state-based transmission companies. The private sector also laid 605km transmission lines. It is only through the transmission lines, power generated from the thermal or windmill is taken to the sub-station,” said the official.

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