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State power engineers warn of high voltage spike in power grid

By AJIT PATOWARY

GUWAHATI, April 4 - Power engineers foresee a likelihood of a high voltage spike in the State�s power grid (Assam Power Grid) tomorrow in the event of switching-off of the lighting load in the State at 9 pm tomorrow in response to the call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has given the call for observance of a nine-minute �lights off� at 9 pm tomorrow to demonstrate the unity of the Indian people in the fight against COVID-19.

The power engineers are of the opinion that this sudden switching-off of the lights may result in reduction of around 300 MW of load and thus may cause a high voltage spike in the Assam Power Grid.

In view of this, the Assam Electricity Grid Corporation Ltd (AEGCL) has issued a list of advisories to the other power utilities of the State. One of its advisories is to switch off the capacitor banks at all the grid sub-stations and distribution sub-stations.

AEGCL has also advised that the generators at the Lakuwa Thermal Power Station and Namrup Thermal Power Station should be kept in synchronised mode and they must be running with minimum generation from 8.55 pm to 9.10 pm tomorrow. Depending on the frequency, the generation may be ramped down or up from 8.55 pm to 9.10 pm, it said.

Moreover, AEGCL has requested the power generation stations of the NE region to absorb maximum reactive power as per their capability curve.

The Namrup Thermal Power Station should take necessary steps to ensure isolation of the generations with local load in case blackout occurs. This will help in restoring the grid by providing starting power to other generating stations, it said, adding, among others, that the Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd has to keep its 33 KV and 11 KV feeders in charge condition and should not be disconnected during the �lights off� period.

It needs mention here that there had been major grid disturbances on July 30 and 31, 2012, affecting a large part of the country�s power grids, due to high load and failure of monsoon. While the northern region was drawing a large quantum of power from the neighbouring western and eastern grids, the demand in the western region was less due to rains and it was under-drawing. And due to the flow of high amount of power from the western grid to the northern grid directly as well as to the eastern grid, the grid system was under stress and thus the grid disturbance occurred.

Meanwhile, the CPI-M politbureau and the Electricity Employees� Federation of India have warned that if precautionary measures are not taken the switching off of the lights tomorrow as per the call of the Prime Minister may lead to serious grid disturbances in the country.

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