Electricity Sector in India

• World's 6th largest energy consumer, accounting

for 3.4% of global energy consumption by more
than 17% of global population.

• The Energy Policy of India is predominantly

controlled by the Government of India’s, Ministry
of Power, Ministry of Coal and Ministry of New
Renewable Energy and administered locally by
Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).

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Electricity Sector in India (contd.,)

• About 70% of the electricity consumed in India is

generated by Thermal power plants,
• 21% by Hydroelectric power plants and
• 4% by Nuclear power plants.
• More than 50% of India's commercial energy
demand is met through the country's vast coal
reserves.

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Electricity Sector in India (contd.,)

• The country has also invested heavily in recent

years in renewable energy utilization, especially
wind energy.
• In 2008, India's installed wind generated electric
capacity was 9,655 MW.
• Also, India has committed massive amount of
funds for the construction of various nuclear
reactors which would generate at least 30,000
MW.
• In July 2009, India unveiled a $19 billion plan to
produce 20,000 MW of solar power by 2020.

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Electricity Sector in India (contd.,)

• In June 2010, the installed power generation

capacity of India stood at 162,366 MW and per
capita energy consumption stood at 612 kWH.
• The country's annual energy production
increased from about 190 billion kWH in 1986 to
more than 680 billion kWH in 2006.
• The Indian government has set a modest target to
add approximately 78,000 MW of installed
generation capacity by 2012 which it is likely to
miss.
• The total demand for electricity in India is
expected to cross 950,000 MW by 2030.
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Electricity Sector in India (contd.,)
• Electricity losses in India during transmission and
distribution are extremely high and vary between
30 to 45%.
• In 2004-05, electricity demand outstripped supply
by 7-11%.
• Due to shortage of electricity, power cuts are
common throughout India and this has adversely
effected the country's economic growth.
• Theft of electricity, common in most parts of
urban India, amounts to 1.5% of India's GDP.

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Electricity Sector in India (contd.,)

• Despite an ambitious rural electrification

program, some 400 million Indians lose electricity
access during blackouts.
• While 80 percent of Indian villages have at least
an electricity line, just 52.5% of rural households
have access to electricity.
• In urban areas, the access to electricity is 93.1% in
2008. The overall electrification rate in India is
64.5% while 35.5% of the population still live
without access to electricity.

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Electricity Sector in India (contd.,)

• According to a sample of 97,882 households in

2002, electricity was the main source of lighting
for 53% of rural households compared to 36% in
1993.

• Grand Total Installed Capacity (as on 30-09-2010)

is 164,835.80 MW.

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Automation In Power Distribution
• The demand for electrical energy is ever increasing.
Today over 21% of the total electrical energy generated
in India is lost in transmission (4-6%) and distribution
(15-18%).
• The electrical power deficit in the country is currently
about 18%.
• Clearly, reduction in distribution losses can reduce this
deficit significantly.
• It is possible to bring down the distribution losses to a 6-8
% level in the electrical power distribution sector which
will enable better monitoring and control.

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Bottlenecks in Ensuring Reliable Power

• Lack of information at the base station (33kV sub-

station) on the loading and health status of the
11kV/415V transformer and associated feeders is
one primary cause of inefficient power
distribution.
• Due to absence of monitoring, overloading occurs,
which results in low voltage at the customer end
and increases the risk of frequent breakdowns of
transformers and feeders.
• The transformer breakdown rate in India is as
high as around 20%, in contrast to less than 2% in
some advanced countries.
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Bottlenecks in Ensuring Reliable Power (contd.,)

• In the absence of switches at different points in the

distribution network, it is not possible to isolate
certain loads for load shedding as and when
required.
• The only option available in the present distribution
network is the circuit breaker (one each for every
main 11kV feeder) at the 33kV substation.
• However, these circuit breakers are actually
provided as a means of protection to completely
isolate the downstream network in the event of a
fault.
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Bottlenecks in Ensuring Reliable Power
(contd.,)
• Using this as a tool for load management is not
desirable, as it disconnects the power supply to a
very large segment of consumers.
• Clearly, there is a need to put in place a system
that can achieve a finer resolution in load
management.
• In the event of a fault on any feeder section
downstream, the circuit breaker at the 33kV
substation trips (opens).

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Bottlenecks in Ensuring Reliable Power
(contd.,)
• As a result, there is a blackout over a large section
of the distribution network.
• If the faulty feeder segment could be precisely
identified, it would be possible to substantially
reduce the blackout area, by re-routing the power
to the healthy feeder segments through the
operation of switches placed at strategic locations
in various feeder segments.

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