Why power transmission lines need review as India 'moving over' to renewable energy

By Shankar Sharma*
A news item, “Suspected Chinese hackers collect intelligence from India’s power grid”, throws up serious concerns with regard to the security of the safe and reliable operation of the integrated national power grid in the country.
Few months ago, whereas it was reported in the media that a power disruption in Mumbai for many hours in a stretch was probably due to such hacking by some external agencies, there has been no such confirmation from the concerned authorities. The silence in this regard by the concerned authorities is understandable, keeping in view the sensitivity of the issue.
However, in view of the obsession of our authorities to increase the coverage and complexity of the integrated national power grid (with ever increasing of additions of transmission lines, power plants, individual as well as large size loads such as railway traction, sensitive generators such as nuclear power reactors, radially connected renewable energy power parks, voltage control devices, energy storage facilities etc.), the enormity of a scenario where even few states of the Union can face power disruption, for whatever reasons, for few hours during the day time should not be ignored/ underestimated.
There can be many contributing factors for such a power disruption scenario in addition to possibility of disruptive hacking by external agencies, as mentioned in the above article.
Whatever may be the causative factor, the deleterious impacts on our economy and welfare of our communities due to such prolonged power outages can be massive, as reported on two power blackouts in the North and Eastern parts of the country on July 31 and August 1, 2012, and more recently in Texas’s electric grid in US (February 2021) which affected millions of people for 2-3 days, and lead to the largest forced power outage in US history.
With the ever increasing reliance on electricity for our energy needs, the potential for major disruption to our way of life because of the increased complexity in the integrated national power grid must not be ignored in the overall context of true welfare of our communities.
Whereas, it may be impossible to completely eliminate such power disruptions at the State /regional levels despite implementing the latest technological features, there are ways and means to minimise such risks, and prevent the spread of such forced outage across states/ regions.
In this larger context, and in view of the fact that there are enormous societal costs associated with conventional technology based vast integrated grids, there is an imperative to diligently review the very need for such large size and hugely complex integrated national grid network for a fast-emerging scenario, wherein there is a high probability of a very large number of small size renewable energy sources, such as rooftop SPV systems, connected to distribution networks.

In view of the fact that distributed kinds of renewable energy sources will become a major part of the power system in the near future, and that large size conventional technology power sources such as coal, gas and nuclear power plants will almost be completely eliminated in the next 2-3 decades, the very need for so many power transmission lines at 66, 110, 220, 400, 765 kV, and the HVDC lines should come under serious review.
Keeping in view the credible scenario that by 2040-50, the country is likely to have most of its electricity sources in the form of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power generators, it is techno-economically credible to forecast a electricity demand/ supply arrangement as below:

Increased focus to achieve a reduced reliance on the integrated grid quality power, and strengthen the relevance of micro / smart grids powered by distributed renewable energy sources (REs), energy storage battery systems, and suitably designed protection and communication systems.
Increased reliance on distributed kinds of renewable energy sources (RES): solar, wind, bio-mass, and energy storage facilities, which will not need high voltage lines or complex integrated grids.
Focus on the concept of a federation of micro/ smart grids at the regional / national level connected to each other through distribution level voltage lines or very few high voltage transmission lines.

It has become imperative to urgently initiate a national level discussion on all the associated issues so as to arrive at an early consensus on the kind of electricity demand/ supply arrangement, which will be most suitable for the country.

A discussion paper in this context can provide more points for rational discussions.
---
*Power & Climate Policy Analyst

Comments

Reon Energy said…

The present lifestyle of the mankind thrives on the consumption of energy thereby making it an inevitable necessity. The increasing population has led to an ever-growing energy demand. Majority of this demand is met through conventional sources which are continually depleting and raising serious environmental concerns. To further prolong the issue, the present power structure of developing countries like is ageing, inefficient and unsustainable. The present electricity grid is unreliable, prone to brownouts and blackouts, has high transmission losses, poor power quality, supplying inadequate electricity, discouraging to integration of distributed energy sources. Mitigation of these issues require the complete overhauling of power delivery structure. Smart Grid, i.e., the modernization of the electric grid is an evolving blend of various technologies intended at bringing a drastic change in the electrical power grid.

The renewable energy sector is witnessing a remarkable growth in recent years. The installed capacity of renewable energy sources in India is 78,360 MW as of April 30th, 2019 which is 22% of total installed capacity of energy generation (G. of India, 2011). Such growth in renewable energyy generation has to be seamlessly integrated into the grid and meet through efficient energy utilization.

April 24, 2023

Gujarat Information Commission issues warning against misinterpretation of RTI orders

By A Representative The Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has issued a press note clarifying that its orders limiting the number of Right to Information (RTI) applications for certain individuals apply only to those specific applicants. The GIC has warned that it will take disciplinary action against any public officials who misinterpret these orders to deny information to other citizens. The press note, signed by GIC Secretary Jaideep Dwivedi, states that the Right to Information Act, 2005, is a powerful tool for promoting transparency and accountability in public administration. However, the commission has observed that some applicants are misusing the act by filing an excessive number of applications, which disproportionately consumes the time and resources of Public Information Officers (PIOs), First Appellate Authorities (FAAs), and the commission itself. This misuse can cause delays for genuine applicants seeking justice. In response to this issue, and in acc...

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

'MGNREGA crisis deepening': NSM demands fair wages and end to digital exclusions

By A Representative The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha (NSM), a coalition of independent unions of MGNREGA workers, has warned that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is facing a “severe crisis” due to persistent neglect and restrictive measures imposed by the Union Government.

Gandhiji quoted as saying his anti-untouchability view has little space for inter-dining with "lower" castes

By A Representative A senior activist close to Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar has defended top Booker prize winning novelist Arundhati Roy’s controversial utterance on Gandhiji that “his doctrine of nonviolence was based on an acceptance of the most brutal social hierarchy the world has ever known, the caste system.” Surprised at the police seeking video footage and transcript of Roy’s Mahatma Ayyankali memorial lecture at the Kerala University on July 17, Nandini K Oza in a recent blog quotes from available sources to “prove” that Gandhiji indeed believed in “removal of untouchability within the caste system.”

Targeted eviction of Bengali-speaking Muslims across Assam districts alleged

By A Representative A delegation led by prominent academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey visited three districts in Assam—Goalpara, Dhubri, and Lakhimpur—between 2 and 4 September 2025 to meet families affected by recent demolitions and evictions. The delegation reported widespread displacement of Bengali-speaking Muslim communities, many of whom possess valid citizenship documents including Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards, PAN cards, and NRC certification.

'Centre criminally negligent': SKM demands national disaster declaration in flood-hit states

By A Representative The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has urged the Centre to immediately declare the recent floods and landslides in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Haryana as a national disaster, warning that the delay in doing so has deepened the suffering of the affected population.

Saffron Kingdom – a cinematic counter-narrative to The Kashmir Files

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* “Saffron Kingdom” is a film produced in the United States by members of the Kashmiri diaspora, positioned as a response to the 2022 release “The Kashmir Files.” While the latter focused on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits and framed Kashmiri Muslims as perpetrators of violence, “Saffron Kingdom” seeks to present an alternate perspective—highlighting the experiences of Kashmiri Muslims facing alleged abuses by Indian security forces.

'Govts must walk the talk on gender equality, right to health, human rights to deliver SDGs by 2030'

By A Representative With just 64 months left to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global health and rights advocates have called upon governments to honour their commitments on gender equality and the human right to health. Speaking ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), experts warned that rising anti-rights and anti-gender pushes are threatening hard-won progress on SDG-3 (health and wellbeing) and SDG-5 (gender equality).

From lazy to lost? The myths and realities behind generational panic about youth

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak Older generations in many societies often describe the young with labels such as “lazy, unproductive, lost, anxious, depoliticised, unpatriotic or wayward.” Others see them as “social media, mobile phone and porn addicts.” Such judgments arise from a generational anxiety rooted in fears of losing control and from distorted perceptions about youth, especially in the context of economic crises, conflicts, and wars in which many young lives are lost.

Counterview

Search This Blog