GE T&D India Ltd has been awarded a contract by the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd for constructing 765kV gas-insulated substation (GIS) bays at Phagi in Jaipur district of Rajasthan. This is GE’s first 765 kV GIS order from PGCIL, a release from GE T&D India said.
The scope of the project includes the end-to-end commissioning of the GIS bays, including substation automation and relay panels. The bays will be an extension to the Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Ltd’s existing 765kV substation at Phagi, which was also commissioned by GE earlier using air insulated switchgear (AIS) technology.
GE’s GIS technology is one of the most advanced substation technologies in the world and requires up to 70 per cent less land for installation compared with AIS.
The Phagi substation is part of the transmission scheme that involves implementation of 765kV Ajmer–Phagi line, along with associated bays, to facilitate the evacuation of renewable energy getting generated in solar parks at Bhadla, Fatehpur and Bikaner to various beneficiaries.
Once the 765kV GIS bays are installed at Phagi, Rajasthan will be able to evacuate around 1000 mw of additional renewable energy from these solar plants. This will result in the effective utilization of more green energy by the state and lower reliance on coal as the source of power generation, the release said.
The equipment required to construct the substations, including the GIS, will be locally manufactured and supplied from GE Grid Solutions’ factories located at Padappai and Pallavaram at Chennai in Tamil Nadu.
Commenting on the development, Pitamber Shivnani, President & CEO, GE Grid Solutions South Asia said, “GE T&D is proud to partner with the PGCIL, which is working consistently towards achieving the Indian government’s target of 175 GW of renewable capacity by 2022. GE is committed to addressing the growing energy demand of Rajasthan, thereby contributing to the government’s vision of providing 24×7 access and supply to all electricity consumers. As the contribution of renewable energy increases in the overall energy mix of the country, this GIS substation extension will further strengthen the grid evacuation infrastructure and improve electricity access for important demand centers in the state.”
Leadership: Rajasthan is a leader in renewable energy among Indian states and is aiming for 37.5 GW of renewable energy generation by 2025. Of this amount, grid-connected solar projects are expected to account for 24 GW; wind for about 4 GW and hybrid sources for the remaining generation. The efficient evacuation of this renewable energy requires the latest grid technology and infrastructure designed to easily integrate with the rapidly transforming national grid.
GE in Rajasthan: GE is executing several other substation projects in Rajasthan that are associated with the Green Energy Corridor Transmission System. These include an extension of a 765kV AIS substation as well as a new 400/220kV gas-insulated substation (GIS) at Bhuj. GE has also installed a 765kV AIS substation in Bhadla Solar Park to evacuate power. The park is one of the largest solar parks in India spread over a total area of 40 sqkm.
GIS technology: GE’s GIS technology is one of the most advanced substation technologies in the world and requires up to 70 per cent less land for installation compared with AIS. The technology will offer several benefits for Rajasthan’s grid, including smarter networks, condition-based maintenance and greater load control to prevent outages.
