JOIN USPM Narendra Modi's '9 minutes, 9 PM' call led to 32,000 MW dip in power demand
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to turn-off house lights and hold a candlelight vigil for nine minutes on Sunday night saw electricity demand dip by 32,000 MW, but without a hitch to the power grid.
It took co-ordinated efforts of electricity producers and distributors to ensure that the frequency in the grid was maintained between 49.7 and 50.26 Hz, keeping the voltage stable even as the demand gradually climbed up to 1.17 lakh MW after 9:09 pm when citizens turned on the house lights again.
Power Systems Operation Corporation (POSOCO), that manages the integrated operation of the power grid, had instructed its five regional load dispatch centres to maintain their interchange with the grid as per the schedule of the ‘9 minutes, 9:00 pm’ event on Sunday.
The power generating companies, mainly hydel plants, started reducing production from 8.45 pm. The hydropower production came down from 25,569 MW to 8016 MW between 8.45 pm to 9.10 pm. Likewise, the reduction in generation also happened in thermal, nuclear, gas and renewable energy resources as well.
The electricity demand reduced from 1,17,300 MW at 8.49 pm to 85,000 MW by 9.09 pm – a reduction of 32000 MW as people switched off lights at homes.
Power ministry officials had estimated a slump in demand to be between 12,000 MW and 15,000 MW, but a 32,000 MW dip in demand was an indication of the huge response to the Prime Minister’s call.
“Demand in the grid came down by 32,000 MW within a few minutes but the frequency and voltage was maintained within the normal range. The drop in national demand by 32,000 megawatts shows a huge response of the nation to the call of the Prime Minister,” Power Minister R K Singh said.
Singh and Power Secretary S N Sahai personally monitored the situation at the National Power Monitoring Centre at the Power Ministry office in Shram-Shakti Bhawan.
“The national grid operator POSOCO and the national, regional and state load dispatch centres did a great job with support from all generators; NHPC, NEEPCO, THDC, SJVNL, BBMB, NTPC, all state gencos and IPPs, Transco's and Distribution companies and their officers and staff,” Singh said.
Since India has a vast network of grid capable of carrying electricity of 99000 MW, which also connects Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, maintaining grid frequency was most critical, a senior official said.