Multiple levels of automatic backup, latest tech to ensure uninterrupted power supply for G20 Summit

To ensure uninterrupted power supply for the G20 Summit, authorities are leveraging latest technology and have installed multiple backups at the venue, Pragati Maidan, officials said on Saturday.

Power discom BSES has enhanced the supply to Pragati Maidan by establishing three separate power sources to ensure reliability.

Cables measuring three km have been laid to connect to the ITPO grid, offering greater flexibility, they said.

Additionally, the company has installed three 1,600 KVA distribution transformers to serve as a power supply backup. All three power sources for the Pragati Maidan grid now feature changeover systems or multiple levels of automatic backup, said a BSES official. 

"This means that in the highly unlikely event of one cable failing, the power supply will automatically and seamlessly switch to the second cable. If the second cable also fails, the system will switch to the third source," he said.

In addition to these measures, BSES is establishing a 24x7 control room at Pragati Maidan, staffed by 20 experienced personnel at any given time. They will continuously monitor the power supply at the venue, leveraging advanced technology for reliable power supply during the two-day G20 Summit, he said.

"The discom has also deployed some of the most advanced technology in India's power distribution sector. Systems such as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), distribution management system (DMS) and GIS to facilitate real-time monitoring of power supply in the city, including at G20 venues, and allow for swift restoration in case of faults", said the BSES official.

Through GIS mapping, BSES has catalogued all of its distribution assets and consumer locations, including the G20 venues. This will aid the discom in the quick identification of faults and affected consumers, enabling prompt action, he said.

"BSES is pulling out all the stops to ensure a reliable and seamless power supply during the upcoming G20 Summit. Many of the venues, including the main venue at Pragati Maidan, are in BSES area", he said. 

It has spruced up its infrastructure at several venues, including Pragati Maidan, and select roads. This includes sprucing up of over 5,000 poles, over 260 distribution transformers, and around 250 feeder pillars on 55 roads. 

A dedicated workforce of 250 BSES personnel has been working tirelessly since January 2023 to complete the network improvements, he stated. In order to deal with any unforeseen contingencies, Quick Response Teams (QRTs) will be strategically deployed at various locations.

These teams are designed to be mobile and agile, ensuring swift action in the event of any electrical interruptions.

For reliability of the power supply, apart from preventive maintenance, BSES has done extensive predictive checks to identify hotspots or to pre-determine potential faults on its network and to take remedial measures.  'This is done through thermal scanning, partial discharge measurement, and health assessment of power and distribution transformers.

"Online load monitoring system is also in place for tracking the power transformers and 11kV feeder load especially during the summers", said the official.

"Along with custom-designed mobile applications for field staff, we have also installed SCADA-communicable Fault Passage Indicators (FPIs) for immediate identification of faulty network sections."

Other critical technologies that will help BSES ensure reliable power supply include load balancing at grid and substations and deployment of internet of things (IoT) devices at substations, partial discharge and intelligent outage management system to ensure reliable power supply, he added.

The summit will be held on September 9 and 10.