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Wednesday 27 August 2014

World’s first multi-terminal UHVDC transmission System in India

Last Updated 25 Dec 2016

India is going to have the world’s first multi-terminal Ultra High Voltage (UHV) DC system. The ± 800 kV, 1728 km long Biswanath-Agra UHV DC transmission system costing 12,000 crore will transmit hydroelectric power from India's northeast region to Agra in Uttar Pradesh.  The line will have a transfer capacity of 8000 MW including a 2000 MW redundancy. Power flow through Pole-I ( or phase-I) of the transmission system has been commenced in Sep. 2015. Commissioning of phase-II of the project is expected in the financial year 2017.


Transfer of bulk power through the so called "chicken neck area":


Northeast region of India has abundant hydro power resources scattered over a wide area. To transfer bulk power thus generated must pass through the so called "chicken neck area," which is a very narrow patch of land with 22 km width  and 18 km of length in the state of West Bengal having borders with Nepal on one side and Bangladesh on the other side. 


UHV DC Transmission: Best option for power evacuation in large quantum


The only option for power evacuation in such a large quantum is UHV transmission lines. The Biswanath-Agra UHV DC transmission project will enable bulk transfer of power uninterruptedly over a long distance with much lower losses (6%), more transmission reliability and stability. 

It will also facilitate inter-state trading of exportable power of State sector generation, evacuation of power from the Central sector power plants and will increase the capacity of National Grid. 

The  Biswanath-Agra UHV DC transmission project is a bi-directional link, which is supposed to help in transferring surplus electrical power from the North-eastern region during monsoon to the Northern and Western region of India. During the winter season, a reverse power flow is expected as the reduced availability of water will hamper the power production in the North-eastern sector.  

One converter station will be in Assam, and the second in West Bengal, both will have a capacity of 3000 MW each. The other end of the HVDC line will terminate at Agra, which is it's third station. The Agra station will have a capacity 0f 6000 MW, where two bipolar converters will be connected in parallel. The converter station will have a 33% continuous overload rating. The 800 kV equipment yard at Agra will be indoor, which is happening for the first time. 


Design, Supply and Installation responsibility:


ABB and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) are responsible for the design, supply and installation of the three HVDC converter stations. 

Other significant 800 kV bi-polar, HVDC transmission line:

Contract has been awarded to build the phase-II of the Champa-Kurukshetra, 800 kV bi-polar, 1365 km long HVDC transmission line by POWERGRID. This line will have a capacity of 3000 MW and will transfer power produced by the thermal power plants of Chhatisgarh state to Kurukshetra in North India. The phase-II link will run in parallel to the currently under construction phase-I link of the same capacity.       

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