18-03-2014, 03:39 PM
SEMINAR PRESENTATION ON WIDE AREA BLACKOUT (AN ELECTRICAL DISASTER)
(1)Introduction
Security of a power system is affected by three factors:
Characteristics of the physical system:
the integrated generation, transmission and distribution system
protection and control systems
Business structures of owning and operating entities
The regulatory framework
(2)What is a blackout?
A blackout refers to the total loss of power to an area and is the most severe form of power outage that can occur in a power system.
Blackouts which results in power stations tripping are particularly difficult to recover quickly.
Outages may last from a few minutes to a few weeks depending on
the nature of the blackout and
the configuration of the electrical network
(3)July 2012 India blackout
Largest power outage in history
Occurred as two separate events on 30 and 31 July 2012
Affected over 620 million people, half of India's population
Spread across 22 states in Northern, Eastern, and Northeast India.
(4)Reasons behind July Blackout
Weak inter-regional power transmission corridors due to multiple existing outages
High Loading on 400 kV Bina-Gwalior-Agra link.
Inadequate response by SLDCs to the instructions of (RLDCs) to reduce overdraw by the Northern Region utilities and underdrawal/excess generation by the Western Region utilities.
Loss of 400 kV Bina-Gwalior link due to mis-operation of its protection system.
Conclusion
Will there be a blackout in future?
Engineers tend to learn from the past
... but systems are usually prepared to the last (rather than future) war
Improvements in communications and coordination in SLDC,RLDC and generating stations
... but new challenges are looking ahead