GE’s Grid Solutions business announced that it has been awarded a contract in India for the construction of 765-kiloVolt (kV) Gas-Insulated Substation (GIS) bays at Phagi in the Jaipur district of Rajasthan, India’s largest state by area.
The contract has been awarded by Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL), an Indian state-owned company that transmits about 50% of the total power generated in India on its transmission network.
This is GE’s first 765-kV GIS order from PGCIL. The scope of the project includes the end-to-end commissioning of the GIS bays, including substation automation and relay panels. The bays will be an extension to an existing GE 765-kV substation at Phagi, using air-insulated switchgear (AIS) technology. The project will be executed by GE T&D India Limited – GE Grid Solutions’ listed entity in India.
Once the 765 kV GIS bays are installed at Phagi, the state will be able to evacuate around 1,000 megawatts (MW) of additional renewable energy from these solar plants .
This additional capacity will result in the effective utilization of more green energy by the state and lower reliance on coal as the source of power generation.
Rajasthan is aiming for 37.5 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy generation by 2025, up from about 7.6 GW today. Of this amount, grid-connected solar projects are expected to account for 24 GW; wind for about 4 GW and hybrid sources for the remaining generation.
The efficient evacuation of this renewable energy requires
the latest grid technology and infrastructure designed to easily integrate with
the rapidly transforming national grid.
Pitamber Shivnani, President & CEO, GE Grid Solutions South Asia, said: “GE T&D is proud to partner with the
PGCIL, which is working consistently towards achieving the Indian government’s
target of 175 GW of renewable capacity by 2022. GE is committed to addressing
the growing energy demand of Rajasthan, thereby contributing to the
government’s vision of providing 24/7 access and supply to all electricity
consumers. As the contribution of renewable energy increases in the overall
energy mix of the country, this Gas-Insulated Substation extension will further
strengthen the grid evacuation infrastructure and improve electricity access
for important demand centers in the state.”
Green Energy Corridor Transmission System .
These include an extension of a 765-kV AIS substation, as well as a new 400 kV/220 kV Gas-Insulated Substation (GIS) at Bhuj. GE has also installed a 765-kV AIS substation in Bhadla Solar Park to evacuate power. The park is one of the largest solar parks in India spread over a total area of 40 square kilometers.