India’s Grid Failure Reason

Recently India faced two horrendous days, courtesy Grid Failure.The grid failure was the result of the overdrawing of current by some states.

What is Grid?
Grid is the network prevailing in the country across all states.The Power Grid Corporation of India divides the country in five states: Northern, Eastern, North Eastern, Western and Southern.With exception of Southern Grid, rest all grids are interconnected.

Explanation
This year due to the less rainfall, the difference between power generated and power required has increased.With this the states starts overdrawing the current from the Grid,more than the quota allocated for that grid.The overdrawing causes the frequency to decrease than the standard frequency which is to be maintained for the proper functioning of the Grid, which is 49.5 to 50.2 Hz. But thanx to the overdrawing the frequency is decreased to the levels less then the requisite i.e. 49.5 Hz. As soon as the frequency is decreased to the levels lesser then the requisite, the under frequency relays causes the grid and the systems and stations operating to Trip, i.e. to shut down. Thus the power plants, be it the thermal or hydro to shut down. During the shut down, it was observed that states of Haryana was overdrawing the maximum followed by Uttar Pradesh and the least by Punjab.

Why states overdraw?
The states have their own production capacity and are allowed to draw that much electricity from the Grid. When the demand of the consumer increases than that produces, states are left with three options: Either to increase their capacity(which takes many years to happen) or buy from the external private or public agencies. The third wrong way is to overdraw the electricity from the grid. This attracts penalty to the states but the total cost incurred to states even after paying the fine is less then that on buying from outside.Thus the overdrawing happens openly.

Solution:
The agencies maintaining the Grid comes to know when the state overdraws,but they are not authorized to disconnect supply to that state.They can only impose the fine which the states are comfortable in paying.So disconnecting power to the state after it has overdrawn the electricity beyond certain levels or using automatic meters to disconnect supply after the allocated units have been delivered can be the possible solution.

Role of Government
On the day of the grid failure, the then Power Minister Mr.Sushil Kumar Shinde was promoted to the post of Home Minister and Mr. Veerappa Moily was appointed as the new Power Minister.The new power minister immediately gave the statement that in the future there wont be any grid failures.

Lets see how effective measures will be taken to prevent any failure of grid in the future.