The ongoing replacement and upgrade of SCADA systems are various state load dispatch centres (SLDC) is expected to complete by 2026, Union power minister R.K. Singh recently informed in Parliament.
Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, R.K. Singh said that that Grid Controller of India Ltd (GRID-INDIA) monitors the real time parameters from various substations and generating stations at National and Regional Load Despatch Centres (NLDC/RLDCs) through the well-established Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA)/Energy Management Systems (EMS) for monitoring of power system by SLDCs and RLDCs. Regular upgradation of these systems is being done, the minister added.
Further, Regulation 43(4) of the Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Construction of Electrical Plants and Electric Lines) Regulations, 2022 specifies the centralized remote monitoring and operation of substations including the deployment of SCADA systems.
The minister informed that SCADA systems at various SLDCs are under process of replacement/upgradation which is expected to be completed by 2026.
The Minister further informed that steps taken by Government for predictive maintenance techniques using AI/ML algorithms, cyber security measures, and robots and drones for construction and inspection of transmission assets are as under:
- All grid substations use sensors for measuring various parameters of power system asset viz., oil temperature, winding temperature, dissolved gas analysis (DGA) of a transformer, contact resistance of Circuit breakers etc. These parameters are further analyzed with computer aided tools for predictive maintenance.
- Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has issued Guidelines for Cyber security in Power Sector in October 2021 leading to development and implementation of Cyber Security measures.
- A Computer Security Incident Response Team for Power sector (CSIRT-Power) under guidance of CERT-In has been setup at CEA, to coordinate and support the response to cyber security incidents and hand-hold utilities for preventing, detecting, handling, and responding to cyber security incidents.
- Regulation 87 of the Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Construction of Electrical Plants and Electric Lines) Regulations, 2022 specifies the provision for use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for construction and inspection of transmission assets in difficult and inaccessible terrains.
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In order to improve efficiency of substations in the country and the overall electric transmission system, CEA has brought out the manual on “Transmission planning criterion” in March 2023 for planning transmission and substations.
Featured photograph (source: GE) is for representation only.
