The Power Ministry is setting up transmission systems for renewable energy zones (REZ) with 66.5 gigawatts (GW) capacity by the current calendar year to integrate non-fossil fuel energy sources with the national grid.
Besides, it will also establish 13 RE management centres (REMC) to address the variability and uncertainty of its generation and is planning a transmission system to integrate an additional 52 GW potential REZ by 2026-27.
During a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to the Ministry on Tuesday, the Power Minister R K Singh apprised the committee members of the steps being taken by the government towards creating a ‘One Nation, One Grid, One Frequency and One National Load Dispatch Centre (NLDC)’, which will help create a single power market for the world’s third-largest energy consumer.
Transmission
“The initiatives for integration of non-fossil fuel energy are implementation of Green Energy corridors, transmission system for ultra mega solar power parks, transmission system for 66.5 GW REZs by 2022, establishment of 13 REMCs to address variability and uncertainty of RE generation, planning of transmission system for integration of additional 52 GW potential REZ by 2026-27 have been carried out,” Power Ministry said in a statement.
Besides, transmission schemes for another 181.5 GW RES by 2030 have been planned and will be taken up for implementation in a progressive manner.
The government has initiated multiple initiatives to develop the National Electricity Grid, including the evolution and growth of the National Grid, its benefits, planning and development, significance of National Grid in RE Integration, policy reforms to promote RE and Grid Management by Load Despatch Centre.
“All 5 regional grids in India were synchronised into the National Grid by December 2013. The remote Leh region was connected to the National Grid in January 2019 through the 220 kv Srinagar-Leh Transmission system. The National Grid Transmission system has added a transmission line of 1,71,149 ckm since 2014-15 and has added transmission capacity of 6,03,916 MVA since 2014-15,” the ministry informed the committee.
At present, the installed capacity of the National Grid is 404 GW, and the peak demand met is 216 GW. It has adopted several technologies such as a 1200 kV ultra high voltage AC system, tower designs to reduce RoW, app-based patrolling, hotline maintenance, tubular poles for fewer land regions and gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) for maintenance, it added.
With the growth in transmission infrastructure and inter-regional transmission capacity, the congestion in the transmission network has been relieved. Also, it has led to open access transactions with the reduction in prices.
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