This article is authored by R. Ranjan, Chief Executive Officer, National High Power Test Laboratory Pvt Ltd (NHPTL)
The biggest challenge for India is to ensure efficient transfer of bulk electricity over long distances maintaining the safety and reliability of national grid. As of now, major portion of the electricity in India is generated in alternating current (AC) form. However, there are technical and commercial hiccups in ferrying AC over long distances. That’s why AC is converted to direct current (DC) in converter stations and transmitted through the high voltage networks. Electricity is again converted to AC before supplying to consumers. High voltage transmission of power reduces the transmission losses.
Creation of a vast high-voltage power transmission network calls for timely testing of high-voltage equipment. This requirement till recently was largely met through international testing agencies like KEMA, CESI, etc. Establishment of local test facilities for high voltage equipment in India shall immensely help in reducing the delivery time of equipment. This will not only help in saving in time and cost of the project but also reduce the dependability on foreign lab. The test facility will save the foreign exchange as there is no need to send the equipment to foreign test laboratory. The testing facility will give fillip to R&D activities in the country. This facility could also be used by the neighbouring countries (e.g. SAARC Countries, ASEAN & Middle East Countries) as they shall have to bear lower testing and the transportation cost as compared to the testing facilities in other countries. Setting up testing facility in India shall provide an opportunity for India to become a global hub for testing and certification of electrical equipment. The testing facility would directly benefit the entire power sector—all CPSUs of the Indian power sector, public and private power utilities and distribution companies.
The entry and rise of NHPTL
The high-voltage equipment testing landscape changed significantly when National High Power Test Laboratory Pvt Ltd announced commercial operations of its first phase on July 1, 2017. NHPTL has since enhanced its capacity for grid-based testing of transformer up to 765kV class and it has now become the world’s highest voltage level test facility of its kind. Previously, 400kV class transformers that India and its neighbouring countries manufacturers would send to foreign labs like CESI, KEMA for short circuit testing will now undergo testing in the country itself. This will lead to a huge boom in the entire power sector of India as well as that in SAARC, ASEAN and Middle East Countries.
NHPTL is being developed in two sections. The first section is High Voltage Transformer (HVTR) for testing of transformer from 132kV class to 765kV class and the second section is Medium Voltage Transformer (MVTR) testing laboratory for testing of transformer from 33kV class to 90kV class.
HVTR section is fed either by 765KV network supply or 400kV supply. This will cater short circuit test of large power transformers starting from 50MVA, 132kV to 500MVA, 765kV. However, NHPTL Lab is NABL accredited for SC testing up to 400kV class.
MVTR Section will cater short circuit test of medium power transformers of all possible power ratings with voltage class starting from 33kV to 90kV. It is expected to be operation by April 2019.
Mitigating the dependency, and earning forex
Subsequent to testing of 120MVA, 400/11.5-11.5kV, 3-phase station transformer of BHEL as first commercial test on July 1, 2017, NHPTL declared the High Voltage Transformer (HVTR) Section of its laboratory under Stage-I, commercially operational at 400kV at Bina, Madhya Pradesh, on the same date. Further, NHPTL tested 85MVA, 765/132kV, single-phase transformer as first commercial test on September 11, 2017, and NHPTL declared its capacity enhancement of short-circuit testing up to 765kV class of transformer in HVTR section of the lab. Now the Stage-I shall cater to the requirement of short circuit test of electric transformer from 50MVA, 132kV Class to 333.3MVA, 765kV Class. NHPTL has also been accredited ISO- 17025 by NABL on October 12, 2017.
This laboratory shall provide an opportunity for India to become a global hub for short circuit testing and certification of electric transformers. At present, the risk of transportation for long distance as well as time required in testing will also be reduced leading to saving of time and cost for manufacturers surrounding the countries. This will help us to generate the foreign exchange from foreign companies. The test services of NHPTL may also be utilized by SAARC, ASEAN & Middle East countries, as it will have lower testing and shipping cost as compared to the testing facilities in other countries. Hence, the facility will earn foreign exchange.
