The western region grid, covering Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Goa, is better placed compared to other regions. This is largely due to strict adherence to grid discipline and load management by constituent states. Mumbai is uniquely positioned, with islanding in place; in the event of tripping elsewhere in the country, the city gets isolated due to islanding.
The region has a total installed capacity of 60,000 Mw with a daily power requirement of 34,000 Mw. However, demand of only 32,000 Mw is met, forcing constituent states to resort to load-shedding.
According to a Power Grid Corporation official, who did not want to be identified, whenever constituent states use up their quota from the grid, they push up their own generation. In the case of Maharashtra, it resorts to more hydro power generation from Koyana project, having an installed capacity of 1,900 Mw.
The official said the constituent states also resort to load-shedding, so that relays do not trip and lines do not get overloaded.
Ajoy Mehta, managing director, Maharashtra Electricity Distribution Company, told Business Standard, “Maharashtra is very strict about grid discipline.”
Anjan Roy, former executive director, Power Grid Corporation, said, “The most important issue is the generating stations are well distributed in the region. There is always a better understanding about grid security among the constituents, especially Maharashtra, which seldom violates grid discipline.”
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Roy, who had headed the Western Regional Load Despatch Centre (WRLDC), said the constituents always try to adhere to the daily schedule issued by the regional load dispatch centre, and in the event of any outage of their own generating station they resort to equivalent amount of load-shedding so as to ensure grid security and discipline.
The Power Grid official recalled the grid had collapsed on July 31, 2002, due to cascade tripping which led to the rest of Maharashtra, excluding Mumbai, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Goa plunging into darkness. The grid frequency had dropped below the desired range of 49 -50 Hz. This was due to overdrawal by Madhya Pradesh, despite several warnings issued by WRLDC. Subsequently, the Central Electricity Authority had conducted an inquiry and suggested a slew of measures to maintain grid security. These measures have been strictly implemented by the constituent states, adds the official.
Similarly, on November 5, 2003, large parts of western Maharashtra and Gujarat went without power for several hours, following a grid collapse.