EXCLUSIVE
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Madhushudhan Dutta, Chief General Manager of Asset Management at Power Grid, has confirmed that a significant upgrade of substations across Northeast India is underway, aimed at ensuring an uninterrupted, 24/7 power supply. The initiative seeks to reinforce the region’s power “highway” with robust systems equipped to handle challenges such as natural disasters. To enhance efficiency and reliability, Power Grid is replacing outdated equipment with modern technology, enabling swift recovery from any power disruptions through emergency restoration systems.
Talking to Meghalaya News 24, Dutta explained, “Through new projects, at least in Northeast, it is not there, but what is there is that after completion of the useful life of many of our substations, we are shifting, we are upgrading them to higher versions, higher retained equipment, and that is part of the projects in various substations.” He added, “In Northeastern [India], you find that there are many substations which have completed more than 30 years of life. So now they have completed the useful life, and it is part of the regulations that we upgrade them with newer equipment. So those projects are already in the pipeline, and it is going to happen in this 2024 – 2029 tariff regime.”
When asked about the number of projects in the pipeline for the Northeast, Dutta responded, “There are many, maybe around 10-12 stations that are going to happen, because in Northeast India, we have 22 substations in different states of the region, so projects come up in different phases.”
“So depending upon the completion of the 25-35 years of life, we are upgrading these projects. So around 7 to 8 stations it is happening,” he added.
Describing the upgrade efforts, Dutta stated, “Our main purpose in this Northeastern region is to ensure that we provide quality power to all the constituents, as we are mainly engaged in the transmission of electricity power. Basically, we are connecting from the generating stations to the load centers, to the state Electricity Boards that we are transferring power to, and then it is being stepped down and distributed to the consumers and the industries.”
He emphasized the goal of an uninterrupted power supply: “So, our main aim, main target, is to ensure that this highway of power is never interrupted, and we are able to supply the power 24/7 without any interruption, be it a calamity or landslide or rain or whatever circumstances. We are fully equipped.”
“We are even using the emergency restoration system; wherever, if at all, any breakdown happens, we are restoring it in the minimum possible time and ensuring that consumers get quality power, with the least interruption of power flow for whatever reason it may happen,” he noted.
Dutta also outlined the scope of work on specific stations: “In 7-8 stations, we are doing the upgradation work where the old equipment that has already completed its useful life is being upgraded to new technologies, either replacing the equipment with newer equipment or transitioning from AIS (Air Insulated Substations) to GIS (Gas Insulated Substations). This type of updation is ongoing.”
Further, Dutta highlighted current projects, “Presently, a power line connection is being established in Namsai District in Arunachal Pradesh from the Kathalguri project, which is currently the major project. In Manipur, we are recently undertaking upgrades through our project department to incorporate new technologies, like shifting from AIS to GIS substations, as part of these ongoing efforts.”