Grid India proposes to repurpose underutilised thermal power plants, Pg13

Key Highlights:

• Grid India has proposed repurposing nine underutilized thermal power units, with a combined capacity of 1.8 gigawatts (GW), into synchronous condensers (SYNCONs).
• This initiative aims to enhance grid reliability and facilitate the integration of rapidly growing renewable energy capacity in India.
• The proposal emerged from a review meeting on summer power preparedness chaired by Union Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal in April.
• Eight of the identified units are coal- or lignite-based, and one is gas-based, all currently operating at low utilization or under prolonged outage.

Detailed Insights:

• Synchronous condensers are generators that provide inertia, reactive power, and voltage support to the grid without producing electricity.
• They act as electrical shock absorbers, maintaining grid stability during fluctuations in power demand or supply, especially with increased solar and wind power.
• The shortlisted plants are located across five states: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
• Grid India highlighted that thermal units inherently offer reliability support such as inertial response, short-circuit current, and voltage control.
• Examples from the US, UK, and Mexico were cited where thermal power units have been successfully converted into synchronous condensers.
• The need for SYNCONs was underscored by recent grid disturbances, including the June 2024 tripping of the Champa-Kurukshetra HVDC link.
• Recommendations from the Northern Regional Power Committee also called for deploying synchronous condensers in the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Complex.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Synchronous Condenser (SYNCON): A rotating electrical machine that provides reactive power and inertia to stabilize the grid without generating active power.
• Grid Reliability: The ability of an electrical power system to deliver continuous and stable electricity to consumers under various conditions.
• Reactive Power: The portion of electricity that establishes and sustains the electric and magnetic fields for AC equipment, crucial for voltage stability.
• Inertia: The property of a rotating mass (like a generator) to resist changes in its speed, providing stability against sudden frequency deviations in the grid.