UNDERSTANDING LOAD DISPATCH-ABT-

GRID CODE-STANDARDS INTERPLAY

SANDEEP DIXIT
 GRID STANDARD
• IEA 2003 SEC
• 177(2)(a) MAKE REGULATION O&M OF
TRANSMISSION LINES
• 73(d) FUNCTION & DUTY CEA TO SPECIFY
• 34 COMPLIANCE OF STANDARD BY LICENSEE
• APPLICABILITY
– Transmission Licensees
– Central Transmission Utility (CTU)
– State Transmission Utilities (STUs),
– Users,
– Appropriate Load Despatch Centres,
– Regional Power Committees (RPCs).
 OBJECTIVE
• To ensure safe operation, security,
integrity and reliability of the grid.
• To have a coordinated operation and
maintenance of transmission lines and
generators.
 GRID CODE
• IEGC IS A REGULATION MADE BY THE
CENTRAL COMMISSION
• SECTION 79 (1)(H) FUNCTION OF CERC TO
SPECIFY GRID CODE HAVING REGARD TO
GRID STANDARDS
• SECTION 178(2)(g) CERC POWER TO MAKE
REGULATION.
• SECTION 28(2) RLDC TO COMPLY WITH
PRINCIPLES, METHODOLOGIES,
GUIDELINES IN RESPECT OF WHEELING
AND OPTIMUM SCHEDULING AND DISPATCH
ASPER IEGC
 IEGC
• THE IEGC ALSO LAYS DOWN THE RULES,
GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS TO BE FOLLOWED
BY VARIOUS PERSONS AND PARTICIPANTS IN THE
SYSTEM TO
– PLAN,
– DEVELOP,
– MAINTAIN AND OPERATE THE POWER SYSTEM, IN
• MOST SECURE,
• RELIABLE,
• ECONOMIC
• EFFICIENT MANNER,
WHILE
• FACILITATING HEALTHY COMPETITION IN THE GENERATION
AND SUPPLY OF ELECTRICITY
CEA STANDARDS - DEFINITIONS

• “Area Load Despatch Centre” means the centre as established by the state
for load despatch & control in a particular area of the state,
• “Bulk consumer” means a consumer who avails supply at voltage of 33 kV
or above,
• Disaster management is the mitigation of the impact of a major breakdown
on the system and bringing about restoration in the shortest possible time,
• “Emergency Restoration System” A system comprising transmission towers/
structures of modular construction complete with associated components
viz. insulators, hardware fittings, accessories, foundation plates, guys,
anchors, installation tools etc. to facilitate quick restoration of
damaged/failed transmission line towers/ sections,
• “Islanding Scheme” is a scheme for separation of the grid into two or more
independent systems as a last resort with a view to save healthy portion of
the grid at the time of the grid disturbance.
 STANDARDS
• “Standards” means “Grid Standards for Operation and Maintenance
of Transmission Lines” set forth in the Schedule appended to these
Regulations,
• ”Transient stability” means the ability of all the elements in the
network to remain in synchronism following abrupt change in
operating conditions like tripping of a feeder, tripping of generating
unit, sudden application of a load and network switching etc,
• ”User” means a person such as a Generating Company including
captive generating plant or Transmission Licensee other than the
Central Transmission Utility (CTU) and State Transmission Utility
(STU), Distribution Licensee or Bulk Consumer whose electrical
plant is connected to the Grid at voltage level 33 kV and above,
• “Voltage Unbalance” is defined as the deviation between highest
and lowest line voltage divided by Average line Voltage of the three
phases,
 OPERATIONAL PLANNING
Operation Planning
• The Regional Power Committee shall
periodically review the performance of the grid
for the past period and plan stable operation of
the grid for the future, considering various
parameters and occurrences such as frequency
deviations, voltage profile, line loadings, grid
incidents, performance of system protection
schemes, protection coordination
MAINTENANCE PLANNING
Maintenance Planning.-
1.The annual maintenance plan for generating stations in a region
and the inter-State transmission lines shall be prepared by the
concerned RPCs, keeping in view the demand pattern and
maintenance schedule of the generating units and diversity in
demand of the States before the commencement of the financial
year.
The annual maintenance plan for Inter-Regional transmission lines
shall be coordinated between the concerned RPCs. The
coordinated generation and transmission line maintenance plan
shall be reviewed and revised, if necessary on a quarterly basis
and also in the monthly Operating Committee Meetings of the
RPCs.
 MAINTENANCE PLANNING
– (2) The annual maintenance plan of Intra-State transmission
lines shall be coordinated by the concerned SLDC in
consultation with the concerned intra-state transmission licensee
taking into account the annual maintenance plan of generating
units and inter-state transmission
– system decided by the concerned RPC. Concerned SLDC will
also review and coordinate the maintenance plan of intra-state
transmission lines for the next month, taking into account the
monthly plan of generating units and inter-state transmission
lines by the concerned RPC for the next month.
– CEA (Grid Standards) Regulations,2006
• (3) The monthly maintenance plan for generating unit &
transmission line shall be implemented with the consent
of the SLDC or RLDC, as the case may be.
 COORDINATION IN
OPERATIONS
• Coordination in Operations.-

– (1) No element of the grid shall be introduced or taken out of the

grid without the concurrence of the appropriate load dispatch
centre. Only in case of imminent risk of safety of plant and
personnel, can the concerned equipment be taken out without
concurrence of the Appropriate Load Despatch Centre. However
the Appropriate Load Despatch Centre must be intimated of the
same at the earliest along with the reasons.

– (2) RLDC shall inform all affected parties in case it affects their
system
 WRITTEN OPERATING
INSTRUCTIONS.-
• 9. Written Operating Instructions.-
• (1) Written operating instructions for each equipment and
operating procedure for sequence of operations of power
system equipment shall be available at each sub-station
and switchyard.
• (2) The operating procedures followed shall not be
inconsistent with the manufacturer’s instructions
regarding particular items of equipment.
• (3) All operators shall be aware of all the operating
instructions and procedures and be capable of operating
the equipment skillfully.
• (4) These operating instructions and procedures shall be
revised whenever required.
INSTRUCTIONS BY RLDCS AND
SLDCS
• 10. Instructions by RLDCs and SLDCs.-
– All operational instructions given by RLDCs
and SLDCs through telephone, Fax, e-mail,
etc shall be coded. Voice recorder shall be
provided at every
– CEA (Grid Standards) Regulations,2006
• RLDC and SLDC for recording and
reproduction of conversation with time
tag/stamp. Archives may be kept at least
for one month.
 AUTOMATIC UNDER FREQUENCY
RELAY
• 11. Automatic under frequency Relay.-
• All Regional constituents shall set their under-frequency (UF)
and rate of change of frequency with time (df/dt) Relays in
their respective systems as per plan finalized by RPC to
provide adequate relief for grid security. They shall ensure
healthiness and operation of these relays at the set
frequencies.
– 12. Islanding Schemes.-
• Islanding schemes for separation of systems
with a view to save healthy system from total
collapse in case of grid disturbance if considered
necessary shall be finalized by the RPCs.
 Restoration of grid following
disturbance
• 13. Restoration of grid following disturbance.-
• Regional Load Despatch Centre in consultation with
Regional Power Committee and Regional Constituents
shall develop procedures following grid disturbance,
partial grid collapse or blackouts for enabling restoration
and normalization of the grid at the earliest. State Load
Despatch Centre shall also develop procedures
accordingly for restoration of intra-state system. The
operating procedures shall be reviewed following any
addition of generating station or transmission line or at
least once in two years, and revised, if considered
necessary by RLDC and SLDC as the case may be. The
above procedure shall be available to and followed by all
concerned Users.
 Reporting of Events
– 14. Reporting of Events Affecting Grid Operation.-
– Any tripping of generating unit or transmission
element shall be promptly reported by the respective
user to the Appropriate Load Despatch Centre.
Details of the respective relay indications in case of
tripping shall also be furnished within two (2) hours.
– CEA (Grid Standards) Regulations,2006
– 15. Reporting of Grid Disturbance.-
• All the incidents of grid disturbance shall be
reported by the Appropriate RLDC to the
concerned RPC and the Authority immediately.
 Operational Data
– A real time display of the grid position shall also be made available to
the RPC.

16. Operational Data during normal operation and during grid

disturbances.-
All real time operational data as required by the appropriate Load
Despatch Center shall be furnished by the users. All data required
by RPC Secretariat in discharge of the responsibilities assigned to
it, shall be furnished by Regional Load Despatch Centre (RLDC). All
operational data, including Disturbance Recorder and Event Logger
reports, for analysing the grid disturbance should be furnished by all
the users within 24 hours to the RLDC and concerned RPC. All
equipments such as Disturbance Recorders and Event Loggers
should be kept in healthy condition, so that under no condition such
important data is lost. Any other data which in its view can be of help
for analyzing grid disturbance but not demanded by the RLDC or
RPC, shall also be furnished by the user.
 Operational Data Records
• 17. Operational Data Records.-
• Operational data including equipment and system parameters (both
manually and electronically logged) shall be preserved for at least
three years. Logbooks shall be maintained by every sub-station. All
operations conducted shall be recorded in chronological order. The
time of each operation and occurrence of each event shall be
recorded. There shall not be any over-writing. No words shall be
erased from the logbook. Observations made during inspection shall
be recorded in the logbooks. Important parameters and deviation of
parameters outside permissible tolerances shall also be recorded in
the logbook. All entries must be made in the logbooks without any
time lag. Automatic recording of operational parameters shall be
encouraged. A compendium of grid disturbances shall be
maintained by the appropriate Regional Power Committee
 Communication facilities
• 18. Communication facilities.-
• The communication facilities installed by the Transmission Licensees shall be as per
Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid)
Regulations 2006 and shall be maintained in good operating condition.
• 19. Safety.-

– (a) CEA (Supply and Safety) Regulations, 2006 shall be complied with.

– (b) Contingency procedures shall be prepared and kept handy for use of operators at each
sub-station and switchyard.

– (c) All staff members shall be trained in safety procedures at regular intervals. The entities
shall require their personnel to follow the safety rules during operation and maintenance.

– (d) Safety Rules shall be displayed prominently.

– (e) The fire fighting equipment shall be made available at all substations, switchyards and
converter stations and shall be checked periodically for its upkeep. Mock exercises in fire
fighting shall be carried out periodically.
 Maintenance of Tools and
Equipment
• 20. Maintenance of Tools and Equipment.-
• The maintenance staff of the transmission licensee must be made aware of
the list of tools, devices and equipment for various maintenance and
rectification works on transmission lines, sub-stations and converter
stations. The tools must be readily available and certified for usage.
• 21. Maintenance Procedures.-
• Maintenance procedures for each equipment shall be prepared in line with
the manufacturer’s recommendations and prudent utility practices.
• 22. Hot Line Methods.-
• Where feasible, hot line techniques for maintenance of critical transmission
lines and sub-stations shall be adopted eg. washing, and replacement of
Insulators, replacement of damaged section of conductor, replacement of
hardware components. Only trained staff shall be used for such techniques.
The hot line tools employed shall have necessary certification from a
national or international accredited laboratory before usage.
Emergency Restoration System
23. Emergency Restoration System.-
Each transmission licensee shall have an
arrangement for restoration of transmission
lines of 400 kV and above and strategic 220
kV lines through the use of Emergency
Restoration System (ERS) in order to
minimize the outage time of the transmission
lines in case of tower failures.
 Inspection and Patrolling
• 24. Inspection and Patrolling.-
• (1) All essential parameters which indicates the
healthiness of the equipment, shall be inspected
by the shift engineer once in each shift and once
daily by the officer in-charge.
• (2) Overhead lines shall be patrolled at
periodicity decided by the transmission licensee.
Different patrolling schedules shall be
implemented by the transmission licensees for
normal terrain, vulnerable terrain and most
vulnerable terrain.
 Inspection and Patrolling
• Patrolling schedules for ground inspection of live
lines and tower top inspection of de-energized
lines shall be separately issued by the licensees.
Important lines shall be inspected by senior
engineers after patrolling by junior staff.
Maintenance works such as tree cutting and
replacement of damaged insulators shall be
carried out immediately after patrolling wherever
required. Preventive maintenance of
transmission lines shall be carried out at least
once before onset of summer and once before
onset of winter
 Maintenance Schedules.-
• 25. Maintenance Schedules.-
• (1) Traditional Time Based Maintenance(TBM) need to be replaced
by Condition Based Maintenance(CBM) or Reliability Based
Maintenance (RBM) as far as possible, based on criticality of
equipment in order to save on the expenditure on maintenance of
equipment.
• The periodicity of maintenance of lines shall be fixed based on
whether they are passing through normal area or polluted area or
coastal area.
• The transmission lines and sub-stations in polluted areas should be
maintained more frequently.
• The maintenance of lines passing through all such areas should be
completed once before onset of winter so as to minimize tripping
under conditions of fog or due to salt deposit on insulator discs in
coastal areas and once before onset of summer.
 Maintenance Schedules.-
• (2) Maintenance and cleaning of various equipment
fittings, accessories, primary instruments and sensors
shall be carried out when they are de-energized during
the shut-down of main equipment although the
maintenance on these additional items is not due.
• (3) Where defects are observed through condition
monitoring as given below or during patrolling and
inspection, the maintenance work on various items of
equipment may be preponed with reference to general
periodicity schedules depending on the condition of the
equipment
 Use of Diagonistic Tecniques
• 26. Use of Diagonistic Tecniques for Condition Monitoring of
Equipment.-
• The diagnostic methods of maintenance shall be preferred over
traditional time based maintenance. For this purpose, the following,
but not limited to, devices / methods shall be used.

– (a) Hot line puncture detection of insulators

– (b) Vibration measurement of the line

– (c) Pollution measurement of the equipment

– (d) Dissolved Gas Analysis of Transformer oil

– (e) Frequency response analysis of transformers/reactors

 Use of Diagonistic Tecniques
• (f) Tan δ and capacitance measurement

• (g) Circuit breaker operational analyzer

• (h) Dynamic contact resistance measurements of breakers

• (i) Third harmonic resistive current measurements of surge arresters

• (j) Recovery voltage measurements of transformers/reactors

• (k) Vibration measurements of the reactors

• (l) Steady state and Dynamic testing of protective relays

• (m) Signature Analysis

 Use of Diagonistic Tecniques
• (n) Partial Discharge measurement for transformers/Gas insulated Switchgear

• (o) Static resistance meter for circuit breakers, isolators, bus bar joint, earth switches
etc.

• (p) Ground tester for measurement of resistivity of soil and ground resistance

• (q) Battery impedance test equipment

• (r) Insulator tester

• (s) SF6 gas leakage detector

• (t) Power quality Analyzer

• (u) Fibre optic cable testing devices

 Thermo – Vision Scanning
• 27. Thermo – Vision Scanning.-
• Thermo-vision scanning for hot spots on overhead lines and sub-station
equipment shall be carried out at least once before onset of summer and
once before onset of winter for all 400 kV lines and equipment and
important 220 kV lines and equipment.
• 28. Failure Analysis.-
• All cases of major equipment failure at voltage level of 220 kV and above
and tower collapse shall be investigated and analysed by an expert or group
of experts appointed by the Authority. Representatives of manufacturers
may be invited to participate in the analysis if considered necesarry. All
relevant data which would help the experts or group of experts in analysing
the failures shall be furnished by the owner of the equipment. The
recommendations of the

• expert or group of experts shall be submitted to the Authority. The

recommendations accepted by the Authority shall be implemented to
prevent recurrence of similar failures.
 Inventory Control
• 29. Inventory Control and Spare Part Management.-

– (1) The required spare parts shall be kept in stock, so that at no

time is the maintenance of the equipment held up for non-
availability of spare parts.

– (2) All spare parts would be divided into 3 categories i.e. vital,
essential and desirable. ABC analysis may be carried out in
each category of the equipment.

– (3) Computerised material management system would be

developed by the users to optimise inventory
 Maintenance Audit
• 30. Maintenance Audit.-
• (1) An internal committee may be established by
the users to verify whether actual maintenance
works are carried out at site in compliance of the
schedules, procedures and the policy of the
transmission company.
• (2) The observations of the Committee shall be
put up to the management of the user for
perusal and taking corrective action, if any.
 Residual Life Assessment.-

• 31. Residual Life Assessment.-

• Residual life assessment shall be carried out for all major equipments such
as transformers, reactors, breakers, after the equipment has completed
80% of the life specified by the manufacturer. Accordingly, decisions may be
taken by the management of the user in consultation with experts whether
to replace or repair or refurbish the same.
• 32. Disaster Management.-
• The maintenance staff shall be trained in disaster management. Detailed
procedure for the same shall be developed. Mock exercises shall be carried

• out periodically. Disaster Input procedure shall be reviewed periodically.

These procedures should be displayed prominently. The staff shall be
trained in emergency restoration procedures for managing major failures
and breakdowns. Equipment such as vehicles, diesel generating sets and
fire fighting equipment and Emergency Restoration System for transmission
lines shall be kept available at sub-station or at appropriate location for
disaster management.
 Maintenance Records.-
• 33. Maintenance Records.-
• Records of all maintenance carried out for each
equipment shall be kept. The table and formats
may be so devised that the next due date for
maintenance of each item of work is clearly
seen.
• 34. Use of New Technologies.-
• Use of new technologies which would result in
efficient and effective maintenance shall be
encouraged.
 Training.-
• 35. Training.-
• (1) Every person involved in operation and maintenance of
transmission lines shall be trained at the induction level and atleast
once in a year.
• (2) The shift staff shall be trained so that they are thorough in
carrying out operations at each station. Every person concerned
with real time operation shall be adequately trained. Every grid
operator shall undergo training in real time digital simulator and a
refresher course at least once in two years.
• (3) The maintenance personnel of every entity shall also be trained
in preventive and breakdown maintenance for restoration after
break-downs of various items of equipment. The personnel must be
trained in various detailed maintenance procedures.
• (4) Induction training and refreshment training shall be arranged as
per the CEA (Safety) Regulations.
 Grid Standards for Operation and
Maintenance of
Transmission Lines
1. Frequency.-
• The standard frequency of system
operation is 50 Hz and all efforts shall be
made to operate at frequency close to
nominal as possible. The frequency shall
not be allowed to go beyond the range
49.0 to 50.5 Hz, except during the
transient period accompanying tripping or
connection of load.
 Grid Standards for Operation and
Maintenance of
Transmission Lines
2. Voltage.-
• (1) The steady state voltage shall be maintained
within the limits given below:
• Nominal System Voltage Voltage
Variation
kV rms
765 +/- 3%
400 +/- 3%
220 +/- 5%
132 and below +/- 10%
 Grid Standards for Operation and
Maintenance of
Transmission Lines
• (2) Temporary over voltage due to sudden load
rejection shall be within the limits specified
below:
• Nominal Voltage Phase to Neutral Voltage
kV rms kV peak
765 914
400 514
220 283
132 170
 Grid Standards for Operation and
Maintenance of
Transmission Lines
• (3) For the voltage level below 132 kV, the
voltage variation limits as given in (2)
above shall be decided by the State
Commission in the respective State Grid
Code.
 Grid Standards for Operation and
Maintenance of
Transmission Lines
• 3. Voltage Unbalance.- The maximum permissible
values of voltage unbalance shall be as under:
• Nominal Voltage Voltage Unbalance
kV rms %
765 and 400 1.5%
220 2 %
132 3 %
• (2) Bulk consumers shall ensure balanced load during
operation.
• (3) Low Voltage Single phase loads shall be balanced
periodically at the distribution transformer by Distribution
licensees.
 Protection Standards
• 4. Protection Standards.-
• (1) The Transmission Licensee and Users shall
provide standard protection systems having the
required reliability, selectivity, speed and
sensitivity to isolate the faulty equipment and
protect all components from any type of faults,
within the specified fault clearance time.
• Protection coordination shall be done by the
RPC.
 Protection Standards
• (2) Fault Clearance Time:
• The maximum fault clearance times are as
given below:
• Nominal Voltage Maximum Time
kV rms ( in milliseconds)
765 and 400 100
220 and 132 160
 Protection Standards
• (3) In the event of non clearance of the
fault by a circuit breaker within the time
limit prescribed in 4 (ii) above the Breaker
Fail Protection shall initiate tripping of all
other breakers in the concerned bus-
section to clear the fault in next 200
milliseconds.
 Criteria for System Security
5. Criteria for System Security.-
The following minimum security criterion
shall be followed for operation and
maintenance planning of the elements of
the grid:
– The Grid System shall be capable of
withstanding one of the following
contingencies without experiencing loss of
stability:
 Criteria for System Security
• (a) Outage of one single largest generating unit of the system or

• (b) Outage of a 132 kV Double circuit line or

• (c) Outage of a 220 kV Double circuit line or

• (d) Outage of a 400 kV Single circuit line or

• (e) Outage of a 400 kV Single circuit line with series compensation or

• (f) Outage of 765 kV Single circuit line without series compensation or

• (g) Outage of one pole of HVDC Bipolar line or

• (h) Outage of an Interconnecting Transformer

 Transient Stability
• 6. Transient Stability.-
• Under any one of the following contingencies the system
shall remain stable and sustain integrity (i.e., no
generator shall lose synchronism and no part shall get
isolated from the rest of the system):

– (a) Tripping of a single largest generating unit or

– (b) Transient ground fault in one phase of a 765 kV Single

Circuit Line close to the bus or

– (c) A sustained single phase to ground fault in 400 kV single

circuit line followed by 3 pole opening of the faulted line or
 Transient Stability

• (d) A sustained fault in one circuit of a 400 kV Double

Circuit Line when both circuits were in service in the pre-
contingency period or

• (e) A transient single phase to ground fault in one circuit of

a 400 kV Double Circuit Line when the second circuit is
already under outage or

• (f) A three-phase sustained fault in a 220 kV or 132 kV or

• (g) A sustained fault in one pole of HVDC bipolar in a

HVDC Converter Station.
 Harmonics
• 7. Harmonics.-
• The voltage wave-form quality shall be maintained at all
points in the Grid. (1) In this Standard Harmonic Content
limits are stipulated as follows:-
• Total Harmonic Distortion(expressed as percentage)

‘
l’ refers to fundamental frequency (50 Hz)
• ‘n’ refers to the harmonic of nth order (corresponding
frequency is 50 x n Hz)
 Harmonics
(2) Maximum Limits of total Harmonic Distortion
• System Voltage THD Individual Harmonic
kV rms % %
765 1.5 1.0
400 2.0 1.5
220 2.5 2.0
132 3.0 2.0
 Voltage Fluctuations
• 8. Voltage Fluctuations.-
• (1) The permissible limit of voltage fluctuation for
step changes which may occur repetitively is
1%.
• (2) For occasional fluctuations other than step
changes the maximum permissible limit is 2%.
• The limits prescribed in (a) and (b) above shall
come into force not later than two years from the
date of the publication of these Standards in the
official Gazette.
 DISPATCH
• “Despatch Schedule” means the ex-power
plant net MW and MWh output of a
generating station, scheduled to be
Exported to the Grid from time to time.