TPCODL successfully meets an all-time high peak demand of 2140 MW in April; Bhubaneswar’s demand experienced a 22% rise
Bhubaneswar, May 2, 2024: TPCODL, a joint venture of Tata Power and the Government of Odisha, successfully met the record peak demand of 2140 MW in April 2024 without any network constraints. The State capital, Bhubaneswar, reached an all-time high temperature of 45.4 degrees Celsius, with the peak demand touching 627 MW on 30th April.
Last year the highest demand in the TPCODL area in April was 1876 MW of which 514 MW was the peak demand of Bhubaneswar. This season so far, the peak demand has witnessed a significant increase of 15 % in the company’s area of operations and 22 % increase in Bhubaneswar city. As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), 9 districts of Odisha, including Bhubaneswar were among the hottest cities in the world on April 30. With the impending summer, peak demand is expected to rise to 2329 MW.
The Discom has made necessary arrangements to ensure an uninterrupted power supply amid the rising power demand this summer season. It has implemented several technologies such as thermoscanning, ultra-sonic testing, installation of wedge connectors, and Auto Tap Changers using Transformer Monitoring Units etc. and has undertaken reliability improvement measures like Automation of 33 kV Ring Main Units , Faster Identification and Isolation of Faults using Fault Passage Indicators and LT Protection to arrest faults on LT side to strengthen the distribution network system and improve the reliability of power supply to their 30 lakh+ customers as the temperature soars across the state.
During this unprecedented summer season, TPCODL’s Power System Control Center (PSCC) serves as a hub for real-time monitoring of the entire distribution network and helps to ensure reliable power supply through the implementation of IT and OT technologies like Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Permit-To-Work (PTW) Management System to ensure the safety of field staff at sites. PSCC also sends alerts to the operational team on real-time updates on the power situation, also this information is further passed to Call Centre for promptly informing consumers via SMS services, social media platforms.
PSCC is manned 24X7 by a dedicated team of Operations Engineers who remotely monitor and control 33/11 kV Primary Substations across the 5 circles of TPCODL to maximize system availability through swift restoration, and efficient outage management for preventive and breakdown maintenance of the network equipment to ensure seamless operations.
“As Odisha undergoes a heatwave, we urge our consumers to stay safe, we have implemented various measures to meet the rising demand. We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing an uninterrupted power supply to all our consumers. We are optimizing technology, deploying over 8000 linemen for on-ground maintenance, and are strengthening our network capacity to ensure smooth operation.” said Mr. Arvind Singh, CEO, TPCODL.
In addition, sub-division-wise night breakdown teams have been deployed to promptly address 33 kV and 11 kV breakdowns, fuse call centers have been established to address complaints and 8500+ personnel have been deployed to promptly address outages and implement measures during peak hours. Besides, 6 mobile distribution substations have been stationed across 5 circles of TPCODL to address emergency requirements and ensure reliable power supply throughout the season.
