Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) has selected a consortium of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) and Hitachi Energy India Ltd for a mega order related to PGCIL’s newly-won HVDC transmission system.
The BHEL-Hitachi consortium won this order, of undisclosed value, through a domestic competitive bidding process.
The order relates to putting up the HVDC system associated with the ISTS project housed under “Khavda V-A Power Transmission Ltd,” a wholly-owned subsidiary of PGCIL. It may be recalled that PGCIL was very recently formally awarded the Khavda V-A project under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) route.
This project is significant as it is the first HVDC-based power transmission project awarded under the TBCB route. It is also the largest ISTS-TBCB project in terms of project outlay and transmission tariff.
Scope of work
The project involves setting up of a ±800kV, 6,000 MW bi-pole and bi-directional HVDC link, running 1,200 km, from Khavda Pooling Station-2 (KPS2) in Khavda, Gujarat to Nagpur in Maharashtra. The project will help transmit renewable energy generated at the Khavda Renewable Energy Zone to the industrial centre at Nagpur in Maharashtra.
The scope of the project includes converter transformers, AC/DC control and protection, gas-insulated high-voltage switchgear, thyristor valves, 765kV/400kV substation and auxiliary systems to be delivered by Hitachi Energy India Ltd along with its consortium partner BHEL. The order is scheduled to complete by 2029.
Most efficient technology
“Hitachi Energy takes pride in being a catalyst in the nation’s energy system evolution and this project will leverage our pioneering HVDC technology that we now make in India,” said N Venu, MD & CEO, Hitachi Energy India Ltd. “HVDC technology is the most efficient and economical way to transmit clean energy over long distances, with the flexibility of two-way flow, thus making it a core technology in India’s ambition to have a strong and responsive grid for renewable energy.”
This year marks the 70th anniversary of HVDC technology, a transformative force that has revolutionized power transmission and enabled the integration of renewable energy on a global scale. Today, more than half the HVDC links commissioned in India – some of which have been delivering value for over three decades – use Hitachi Energy advanced technologies, a release by Hitachi Energy India Ltd said.
Supporting Make in India
This project demonstrates Hitachi Energy’s sustained commitment to “Make in India” efforts. In 2023, Hitachi Energy inaugurated a new advanced power systems factory in Chennai to support the acceleration of the energy transition, enabling the company to increase its production capacity. The new factory serves both the fast-growing Indian market and the large global demand for clean energy solutions as well as it caters to the rising number of HVDC projects in India and export to support global HVDC installations, the Hitachi Energy release added.
Also read: PGCIL likely to see Rs.3-trillion capex by FY32
Featured photograph (source: Hitachi Energy India Ltd) relates to the Raigarh-Pugalur HVDC link of PGCIL, for which Hitachi Energy India Ltd was a key supplier.
