T&D India (September 2016): Technology to the Rescue

Underground high voltage cables are going be an important aspect of India’s power trans-
mission and distribution sector in the coming years. India is expected to have at least 40
per cent of its population living in cities by 2030, according to studies. This will mean that power
sub-transmission and distribution will get increasingly city-centric over the years. Overhead
lines will be gradually replaced by underground extra high voltge (EHV) cables due to several
advantages. Firstly, underground cables being invisible do not adversely affect aesthetics of
the surroundings; there are fewer right-of-way concerns, and power theft becomes nearly im-
possible. Apart from conventional T&D, it is likely that EHV cables will find application in new
areas like offshore wind farms, whenever they become a reality in India.
India is building competence in the EHV cable industry. Through financial and technical col-
laborations with foreign manufacturers, India is equipped to produce EHV cables of ratings
132kV, 220kV and even 400kV. In fact, there are a couple of manufactures that claim to have
500kV EHV cable technology in place.
Though competence is in place, the deployment of EHV cables – especially 220kV and above
– is yet to pick up. EHV cables are cost-effective over their lifecycle but the capital costs are
on the higher side. It is perhaps due to this reason state-owned power distribution utilities are
going slow on their EHV cable plans. It is expected that over the next 2-3 years state power
utilities will be in a better financial position to undertake capital investment, assuming that the
Central government scheme Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) will have its desired
positive impact on the financial health of state power utilities.
Technology is also playing a role in the field of overhead transmission lines. Typical distribution
lines of 33kV are increasingly getting stressed due to excess load, especially in urban centres.
Technical losses on the power distribution side are reaching alarming levels. This has inspired
power distribution utilities, especially the private ones, to go in for sophisticated conductors
like ACCC and ACCR as opposed to the conventional AAC or ACSR. The results have been
encouraging and have motivated wider deployment of modern technology in overhead power
distribution lines.
While expansion of the power T&D network will be an important agenda for India, it is equally
important that new technology be infused in traditional areas like cables and conductors. It is
heartening to see that a beginning has been made.
September 20164T&D India
EDIT PAGE
Technology to the rescue
Arthur C. Clarke
Printed and published by Abhishek Mishra on behalf
of Amber Media LLP. Published at 412, Veena Cham-
bers, Clive Road No.4, Masjid (E), Mumbai 400009 and
printed at M/s Sanmitra Offset Printers, Gala No.219/B,
Sussex Industrial Estate Premises Co-op Society Ltd,
D.K. Cross Marg, Byculla (East), Mumbai 400027.
Editor: Venugopal Pillai
Editor
Venugopal Pillai
Chief Editorial Advisor
Harish Rao
Creative Director
Nitin Parkar
Head – Business Development
Abhishek Mishra
Manager – Sales
Hemant Kumar
Head – Subscription,
Circulation & Production
Raghuvansh Pandey

CONTENTS
8 NEWS
10 FACE-TO-FACE PowerGrid has introduced VSC technology to India
R.P. Sasmal,
26 INTERVIEW
23 EXPERT VIEW
Underground cabling Connecting Towns in India
Khader Basha K,
20 INTERVIEW We are now targeting the 400kV and 765kV market
Dave Bryant,
Hitesh Mundhada,
We are planning to enter the 132kV cable segment
V.K. Bajaj,
14 Q+A
The response from power utilities has been very motivating
Vinod Raphael,
12 NEW LAUNCHES Siemens launches grid automation system
Upgraded control panel solutions from Omron
SPOTLIGHT: CABLES & CONDUCTORS
15
18
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
SPECIAL STORY
Smart Grid Controllers – The Platform Approach
Shankar Subramany,
PGCIL plans major upgrade to southern grid connectivity
Cover Photo: Cable Corporation of India Ltd
29 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
Importance of Cables in Solar Photovoltaic Systems
Virender Kumar Gupta,
32 INTERVIEW
Constant innovation has driven our business growth
Amit Jain,
Also: Photo Feature (35) Events (38) Achievement (39) Orders & Contracts (40) Short Takes (42)

NEWS
T&D India September 20168
he Cabinet Committee
on Economic Affairs has
approved a proposal of
R&D project for development of
advanced ultra supercritical (AUSC)
technology for thermal power plant
with an estimated cost of Rs.1,554
crore and providing one time
budgetary support of Rs.900 crore
spread over a period of three years,
commencing from 2017-18, to be
provided as plan gross budgetary
support to Bharat Heavy Electricals
Ltd (BHEL) for implementation of
the R&D project.
A consortium of three government
entities—BHEL, Indira Gandhi
Centre of Atomic Research (IGCAR)
and NTPC have proposed a R&D
project for development of AUSC
Technology for thermal power plants
of future, envisaging reduced coal
consumption as well as carbon
dioxide (CO2
) emission. The project
is formulated with a time cycle
of two and a half years, with an
estimated cost of Rs.1,554 crore,
with a contribution of Rs.270 crore
from BHEL, Rs. 50 crore from NTPC,
Rs.234 crore from IGCAR, Rs.100
crore from Department of Science
and Technology (DST). The balance
amount of Rs.900 crore will be
contributed by Department of Heavy
Industry (DHI) as grant.
The project will enable Indian
industries to design, manufacture
and commission higher efficiency
coal fired power plants with
indigenously developed technology
and manufacturing processes. This
willbethe first time largepowerplant
equipmentwillbemanufacturedwith
advanced technologies, but without
any technological collaboration/
licensing agreement with foreign
companies.
The proposed technology is still
in research stage in all countries
working on it. It is still not matured
and demonstrated anywhere
in the world. The consortium
partners are working on the
project from the basics of material
development, characterisation of
alloys for high temperature and
high pressure applications, basic
principles of thermal engineering
useful in design from scratch
for large equipment like boiler,
valves and steam turbine suitable
for the proposed operating
parameters which are far elevated
from the present day established
parameters, as required for higher
efficiency in energy conversion, a
government release said.
POWER generation from coal
contributes to about 38 per cent of
CO2
pollution in the atmosphere. 20
per cent reduction in CO2
emission
at source combined with 20 per cent
saving in coal consumption compared
to a sub-critical plant and by about 11
per cent compared to a supercritical
plant are the primary reasons justifying
this advanced ultrasupercritical project.
Use of this technology in all future large
power plants will ensure energy security
for the country for a longer period, along
with a greener environment.
Why AUSC?
T
EC Transmission Projects
Company Ltd has transferred
two wholly-owned subsidiaries to
successful bidders. Accordingly,
NRSS XXXVI Transmission Ltd,
incorporated to implement the system
strengthening scheme in northern
region (NRSS XXXVI) along with
LILO of Sikar-Neemrana 400kV D/C
line at Sikar in Rajasthan has been
transferred to Essel Infraprojects
Ltd. The second SPV, Khargone
Transmission Ltd, has gone to Sterlite
Grid. This SPV will implement system
strengthening works associated with
the 1,320-mw Khargone power plant
in Madhya Pradesh.
R
New Appointment
ABB Group, in a release, has announced the appointment
of Guido Jouret, a pioneer of the Internet of Things, as
Ulrich Spiesshofer, effective October 1, 2016. Jouret
will lead the next level of development and deployment
and across all businesses. Jouret is a citizen of both the
-
con Valley. He served for 20 years at Cisco after obtain-
ing a PhD in Computer Science. His most recent role at
Cisco was as General Manager of the Internet of Things
division, which aims to connect billions of devices to the
internet across a wide range of industries. Prior to that,
for incubating new businesses, the release added.

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The unit has USB Flash Drive and a Bluetooth connection for communications
between the test unit and the PC.
Usability
Technology
Communications
Low weight and
compact design
Very bright colour
display
Internal Battery
External 12 V Supply
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time (< 5 s)
Direct measurement of
output voltage
Measurement of silicone-,
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Housed in a metal case for
proper RFI/EMC shielding
Bluetooth connection
USB Flash Drive
High-Voltage
BA
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Output Voltage Up to 100 kV rms symmetrical
Voltage measurement accuracy ±1 kV
Voltage rise rate 0.5 … 10 kV/s
Resolution (displayed) 0.1 kV
Power supply 85 V … 264 V (47 Hz … 63 Hz) and 12 V external supply
Power consumption 75 VA
Internal rechargeable battery 1 x 12 V / 7.2 Ah
Switch-off time on flashover < 5 s
Measurement of oil temperature 0 … 100 °C
Temperature resolution 1 °C
Display 2.8" colour (ultra bright)
Selectabel programs
ASTM1816-04-2, ASTM877-02A, ASTM977-02B, AS1767.2.1, BS
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PC Software "BA Control Center" included
Printer Graphical output 44 mm (dot matrix)
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Weight 32 kg including batteries
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BA100

FACE-TO-FACE
We hear of that Indian Railways has
proposedtoformajointventurewith
Power Grid Corporation of India for
power supply. Tell us more.
Indian Railways is today drawing
power from the substations of
state power utilities. Sometimes,
these substations might not have
enough power while some might
also be in a state of breakdown.
The Railways also has to undergo
much of billing exercise, typically
raising bills, payment, etc. There
is bound to be some issue or the
other always. Finally, there is also
the element of high cost. With more
distribution lines involved, more will
be the overheads. Indian Railways
is today paying heavily to all state
power utilities but is still not able
to get reliability of power supply.
It has therefore been decided that
Indian Railways and Power Grid
Corporation of India will collaborate
so that all substations of the Indian
Railways will get connected to the
grid of PGCIL. Once this is done,
Indian Railways will be a part of the
completely meshed and nationwide
network of PGCIL.
What are the advantages for the
Railways?
Indian Railways can draw power
directly from the grid of PGCIL and
the billing procedure also becomes
simple. The billing will be done by
PGCIL as one single entity. A part
of this payment will be made (by
PGCIL) to power generators.
We understand that Indian Railways
has also formed joint ventures with
Central PSUs for meeting its power
requirements for traction.
Even if Railways generates its own
power through its own stations, say
in joint venture with NTPC, this
power can only feed a section of
their traction. On the other hand, the
network of PGCIL is all-India.
What is the present state of the
proposed JV with Railways?
We have submitted a detailed project
report (DPR) to the Indian Railways
on this subject. There are several
possibilities for working out the
financial model of the joint venture.
A full-fledged joint venture can be
made between PGCIL and Indian
T&D India met up with
R.P. Sasmal at the
sidelines of a PGCIL
conference held in
Mumbai on August 17,
2015. In an interaction
with Venugopal Pillai,
R.P. Sasmal gives
insight on some new
initiatives of PGCIL like
the proposed formation
of a joint venture
with Indian Railways.
Sasmal also discusses
how PGCIL is helping
power-starved Bihar
in its quest for round-
the-clock electricity.
The PGCIL director also
gives more details on
the celebrated 1,200kV
line that has set a world
power transmission.
PowerGrid has introduced
VSC technology to India
—R.P. Sasmal, Director—Operations,
Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd

FACE-TO-FACE
Railways with equity contribution
from both parties. Indian Railways
can also go in for the BOO (build,
own, operate) where the project is
owned by an external party. The
Railways has now to take a call.
PGCIL was helping some state
governments for their intrastate
grid…
We have only Bihar at the moment.
Bihar Grid Company Ltd is a 50:50
joint venture between PGCIL and
the Bihar government, represented
by Bihar State Power (Holding)
Company Ltd. The work is going on
at full speed with lot of help from
the Bihar government. We are now
started even commissioning a few
transmission lines.
Will PGCIL also help Bihar with its
distribution network?
For distribution, PGCIL has already
undertaken village electrification
projects under RGGVY (as it was
then called) in the X and XI Plan
periods. Unfortunately, Bihar cannot
draw power from the national grid.
Therefore, we are building the sub-
transmission systems so that they
will get power 24x7.
You also had planned a similar
project for Odisha?
Odisha government did not show
much interest after the initial stage.
Is there any other state on the
drawing board?
Not at the moment.
PGCIL recently tested the 1,200kV
Bina line. Please share some
details.
Testing of the line is over and the
line is now in operation. We have
brought in a 400kV line, stepped
it up to 1,200kV and connected
it to the 1-km Bina line. Again, a
1200/400kV step down transformer
has brought down the voltage to
400kV. What has happened is that
earlier the line was simply charged.
Now, there is actual power flow of
300-400 mw flowing through the
line. All the equipments are now
getting “stressed” because of the
power flow. The equipments are
therefore getting tested as they are
simulating real conditions.
What is the timeframe for having
1,200kV lines in commercial
operation?
Wardha-Aurangabad is going to
be the first 1,200kV line. It is an
existing line that is being upgraded
to 1,200kV. Conductors have been
strung for 1,200kV while insulators
are pending. That will be done but
we have to take a call because a
1,200kV line needs a large quantum
ofpowertobetransmitted.A1,200kV
line will need around 5,500 mw for
transmission. That much of power
must be available! But, I think in the
next 5-6 years of time, there will be
more and more mega projects like
UMPPs. We have to think on the
lines of 1,200kV because securing
right of way for 400kV or even
765kV is troublesome. A 1,200kV
line can transmit around 4,000 mw,
even after taking into account some
redundancy, which means even if
the line is not fully charged.
Tell us more on some key
technological advancements
deployed by PGCIL, for instance,
the VSC technology used in
Kerala.
In Kerala, we have used cables
associated with voltage source
converter (VSC) technology. These
cables are around 40 km long. In
Kerala, there are strict right-of-
way conditions. To overcome that,
we are now using direct-current
(DC) cables. VSC is nothing but a
conversion of transmission from AC
to DC and vice versa. In this case,
we have an AC-to-DC converter at
Pugalur in Tamil Nadu, matched by
a DC-to-AC converter at Thrissur
in Kerala. This is the first VSC
project in India though there are
plenty of instances of such projects
worldwide. We expect that the
right-of-way requirement to be in
the range of 2m though we have
received clearance of up to 6m from
National Highways Authority of
India.

NEW LAUNCHES
iemens is launching
a new telecontrol and
power grid automation
system on the market: the
modular equipment series
SicamA8000.Thiscombination
of power supply, processor,
and expansion modules can
be employed in substations,
in distribution network
automation, for connecting
renewable energy sources, for
power supply applications in
industry, or in railway power
supply systems. The compact
device CP-8000 comprises a power
supply, a display with function keys,
and binary inputs and outputs. New
processor and power supply modules
in conjunction with expansion
modules enable scalable solutions
for a wide range of different power
requirements,areleasefromSiemens
said.
The telecontrol and grid
automation system – which is based
on international standards such as
IEC 61850 – can also be operated
in climatically adverse conditions
thanks to its extended temperature
range from -40°C to +70°C. In
addition, the enhanced EMC stability
with a voltage of up to five kV (IEC
60255) permits direct application in
substations. An integrated crypto
chip protects the data in a secure
environment, IPSec encryption
allows secure communication over
IP networks, and an https protocol
ensures the secure transmission of
sensitive data.
Sicam A8000 can
also be adapted to the
user’s communications
infrastructure via various
interfaces and an integrated
GPRS module (CP-8022).
The system not only supports
standard protocols but also
specific protocols used in
non-Siemens equipment.
Short-circuit indicator
functions also make it
possible to use the system in
network monitoring. Last but
not least, an integrated web
parameterizing tool facilitates system
engineering.
In power transmission and
distribution,thesystemcanbeusedfor
automating several voltage levels in
substations for the transmission grid.
In distribution network automation,
the system takes over the role of
monitoring and control of secondary
substations on the medium-voltage
side with regard to fault location and
the automatic restoral of the power
supply, the release added.
Siemens launches grid automation system
S
OMRON Automation has announced addition of upgraded panel
solutions to its portfolio. The solutions endeavour to increase
The solutions are engineered to address the next generation
of logistics. The advanced and customised design results into a
cost savings.
Upgraded control panel solutions from Omron
Omron has unveiled new panel solutions to enhance operational efficiency of
control panels at manufacturing sitesu

What are the different ways in which power theft typically occurs
in India?
Some of the key and widely prevalent ways are theft occurring at the
distribution lines via hooking, illegal connections and via tampering
ESD, Jammer, etc.
India has high technical and commercial losses in the power sector.
What is the extent of commercial losses due to power theft?
can understand its impact and extent in this manner: India ranks
5th in the world in terms of installed capacity, however more than
300 million people do not have access to electricity. This indicates a
deep mismatch between demand and supply of which one of the key
causes is losses which amounts to approximately Rs.16 billion every
month. Power theft is one of the major constituents of these losses
presenting the utilities an extremely intricate challenge affecting
sustainable availability of electricity round the clock at the right cost.
The losses give rise to a vicious cycle of utilities running into losses
leading to increased power tariff leading to more burden on the end
user which ultimately results into more unscrupulous ways to steal
power. The utilities cannot manage this gap by increasing the supply.
Rather they strive to handle this by effectively managing the non-
technical losses of which power theft is an important element.
When was Omron’s Integrated Tamper Detection Sensor launched?
How does the sensor work? What types of tampering can be
detected by the sensor?
In fact, the product is yet to be launched and is currently undergoing
intelligence to the smart meters making them tamper evident.
We understand that the sensor is embedded in the smart meter.
Does this mean Omron would supply the sensor with its own meter
exiting smart meters.
Have power distribution utilities have shown interest in the sensor?
has been very motivating. The solution seems to have struck the right
chord considering the challenge which the utilities are facing owing
to this issue.
Having studied the dynamics of the market and challenges closely,
we have understood that the utilities are considering ‘tamper-evident’
meters. Howsoever you make the meter safe& tamper proof, there
still exists the chance of tampering it. There are innumerable kinds of
tampering which cannot be accurately tracked. So the utilities feel at
loss to identify the real threats and gauge the situation to come up with
preventive mechanisms and take corrective actions.
it is highly desirable to come up with an advanced technology
based solution to detect various types of tampering accurately and
empowering the utilities to curb the menace permanently.
This is the place where our sensor dove-tails. It plays the pivotal role
of providing clear and accurate information which is a much needed
resource for the utilities to manage the situation by following a much
comprehensive approach.
India has planned to install over 30 million smart meters in the
next 3-4 years. Given this, how do you see business opportunities
for this sensor?
It is indeed going to be a great opportunity not only in terms of
business but also in terms of contributing towards the government’s
initiatives to provide electricity to the whole country 24x7. This goes
in line with Omron’s mission of improving lives and contributing to a
better society.
Q+A
The response from
power utilities has
been very motivating
Earlier this year, Omron launched a solution called “Integrated
Tamper Detection Sensor” that aims at detecting tampering of
energy meters. T&D India got in touch with Vinod Raphael to
understand more about this solution that is currently undergoing
in India and how this solution from Omron could help stem
An interaction by Venugopal Pillai.
— Vinod Raphael, Country Head,
Omron Electronics and Mechanical Components Business, India

TECHNICAL INSIGHT
Smart Grid Controllers –
The Platform Approach
RAVITEJA CHIVUKULA
Figure 1: Platform components of a generic smart grid controller
efinitely, I think, as a
government, they are trying
to do a lot of good things.
What is Smart Grid? Different people
answer it differently. Some more
common answers than the others.
Most often, smart grid is described
as the collection of technologies and
operational measures that increase
the reliability, security and efficiency
of the grid. This broad definition -
means that there are many different
ways in which intelligence can
be added to the grid. It could be
adding Synchrophasors to the
grid, it could be having advanced
switches in the distribution system,
it could be smart metering, it could
be distributed& renewable power
controllers that communicate
amongst each other and so on.
The bottom line is that, it not
possible to a-priori imagine all
possible ways in which smart grid
technologies can be installed on a
grid. One could call this, ‘unknown
of IoT’ or ‘unknown of a smart grid’.
This kind of scenario mandates us
to design the smart grid controllers
that not only work for today’s
requirements but also are easily
scalable to meet the unforeseen
applications that would make a grid
smarter in the future.
The kind of design methodology
required for this sort of scalability
is not unknown! Ten years ago,
developing an application for a
phone took a lot of expertise: both
hardware and software. Companies
like Emerson, Motorola, and Nokia
had teams of talented engineers
and programmers working on
phone designs. From these groups
sprouted a variety of phones with
the standard set of applications like
phone,addressbook,textmessaging,
maybe a game or two.
TheniPhonewithitsiOShappened,
and Android shortly thereafter.
These platforms took the expertise
of the “phone engineer” and
focused on the hardware component
layout, operating systems (OSs),
servicing middleware, software/
hardware integration, and the
application programming interface
(API). The API and development
tools enabled software developers
to become phone application
designers. Programmers for these
platforms don’t need intricacies
of the processor and the OS; they
just need an understanding of the
platform development environment
and the hooks to the hardware
capabilities...and of course their
market differentiating idea for the
app. The result: millions of creative
apps, in a way that none of us have
imagined.
Designing the Smart Grid
controllers needs precisely this.
Research, technology, applications,
and standards are changing too fast
for traditional embedded designers
to keep up. Just like no one could
imagine the number of apps that
could possibly be created using iOS
or Android platforms, no one can
imagine the entirety of how an IoT
enabled society would look like.
D

September 2016
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
T&D India 16
A shift in engineering tools from
purpose-built embedded systems
to more open, flexible software-
designed systems will spur the rate
of innovation and help solve the
challengesofchangeanduniqueness
for utility companies. Grid
measurement and control devices,
sometimes referred to as intelligent
electronic devices, need to provide
a method by which grid experts
can modify their functionality, an
API. A synchrophasor measurement
unit (PMU), power quality analyzer,
remote terminal unit, and digital
fault recorder are all examples of
common devices installed on the
grid.
From a hardware perspective,
as shown in Figure 1, each of
these devices connects to sensors,
potential transformers and
current transformers, and sample
waveform data through analog-to-
digital converters (ADCs). Various
processing elements in the device,
such as CPUs, FPGAs, or digital
signal processors (DSPs), perform
thewaveformprocessingandpower-
related analysis. Finally, results are
communicated to grid operations or
the cloud using various protocols
and physical communication layers.
A hardware teardown of these
deviceswouldshowthatthebuilding
block components are very similar.
The difference in functionality is
essentially software and firmware
yet domain experts, outside of the
ones hired by traditional vendors,
have no way to access the hardware
functionality. With a platform-based
approach and an API, grid engineers
can modify existing technology
to solve unique challenges faster
in a way that meets their needs
without the influence of a broader
market. Three specific use cases for
platform design flexibility are the
merging of existing functionality,
better interoperability, and updating
technology because of research or
standards organizations.
MERGING OF EXISTING FUNCTIONALITY
A good example of merging
functionality is large scale wind
or solar. Renewable generation
typicallyconnectstothegridthrough
DC/AC inverters that can impact
the power quality of the grid by
adding harmonic noise. Additional
environmental data, such as solar
irradiance and temperature, may
also be helpful. Having a single
device to measure and alert on total
harmonic distortion, load, phasors,
irradiance, and temperature may be
advantageous to the transmission
operators with remote solar, but
the market for that specific device
would likely be too small to merit a
new product. This would leave the
option to purchase multiple devices
for full functionality coverage, or
deal with the impacts of imperfect
visibility into grid quality status.
BETTER INTEROPERABILITY
Changing communication
standards can make interoperability
between devices challenging. A
common communication protocol
for utilities in North America is
currently DNP3, but when it comes
to the future of communication
and the smart grid there are many
options on the horizon. Standards
like IEC-61850 and groups like the
Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC)
and the Smart Grid Interoperability
Panel (SGIP) are spearheading the
Industrial Internet of Things (lloT)
trend for machine-to-machine
(M2M) communication on the grid
and make the future of smart grid
technology look promising, albeit
still a work in progress. Having the
ability to modify the communication
scheme can be just as important as
the functionality because it helps
with device interoperability and
migration to new standards. A
hardware platform component that
has dual ports that are software
programmable can communicate
over the legacy and new technology
protocols simultaneously.
UPDATING TECHNOLOGY
Sometimes the technology just
needs to advance to solve new
problems. The functionality of
a PMU is defined by the IEEE
standard C37.118. This functionality
was modified between the 2005
and 2011 revisions of the standard
to include faster measurement
capability. Renewable generation
adds dynamic properties to a grid
with the controllers on inverters
and the fact that the wind and
sun are not constant. Think gusts
and clouds. Software-designed
instruments built on a platform
can more easily adapt and upgrade
to higher performing standards,
such as faster PMU report rates,
because resources were not capped
for optimization. With smartphones,
users typically expect three to four
software technology upgrades
before the hardware needs a
refresh. A similar model deployed to
Figure 2: NI Grid Automation System – A customizable platform for implementing
smart grid controllers

TECHNICAL INSIGHT
intelligent grid devices could enable
utility companies to have better
information with fresh software
technology for 10 to 20 years.
Many instrumentation vendors
already utilize platform-based
design, leveraging board layouts
and low-level drivers across a
product line, but they stop short
of an open ecosystem with an API
designed for end users. The NI Grid
Automation System(Figure 2)is one
example of a smart grid device
designed as a platform for end
user access. There are terminals
to connect to the high-voltage and
current utility sensors and multiple
ports for communication, but most
of the functionality between the two
can be defined. This functionality
can include waveform signal
processing on a programmable
FPGA with DSP slices, power
analysis on a multicore processor,
and communication protocols such
as DNP3, C37.118, and IEC-61850.
The Grid Automation System can
be fully programmed from the
ground up, but is shipped with
a preset personality that covers
standard PMU functionality. Grid
owners who want a “PMU that
can also…” can start from the
open software personality and add
on. By eliminating the ability to
redesign a wheel, or in this case a
PMU, the next-generation PMU
or PMU with custom functionality
goes from design concept to field in
much less time. Built around the NI
CompactRIO embedded controller
and programmed withNI LabVIEW
software or C/C++, the Grid
Automation System helps connect
and process better information
about unique situations within a
utility grid.
The concept of programmable
platform hardware democratizes the
approach to smart grid technology
to the benefit of all parties involved.
Power engineers working for utilities
have experience to increase grid
uptimewiththerightinformation,but
likely don’t have a lot of experience
laying out ball grid array processors
or developing the glue logic needed
to connect an ADC to an FPGA. With
a platform-based approach, power
engineers can use their expertise to
gain better insight into their grid. On
the other side, smart grid venders
can focus more time on designing
open, flexible systems, and less time
trying to determine the feature set
and margins required to address the
top 80 percent of market applications.
Power consumers, the paying public,
gets a more reliable, intelligent
grid that can easily integrate new
generation technologies, save money
on energy bills, help restore power
faster after storms, and of course still
charge millions of iPhones.
(Raviteja Chivukula is Technical
Marketing Engineer,
National Instruments)
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
KENYA Power and Toshiba Transmission & Distribution Systems
(India) Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, have signed
a memorandum of understanding on implementation of a pilot
project aimed at decreasing distribution losses in the national
grid of Kenya, a release from Toshiba Group said. The MoU will
guide installation, testing and evaluation of equipment that will be
both technical and commercial losses in the distribution network.
“As the network grows in tandem with the rapid increase in
the number of customers, we experience both technical and
commercial losses. We are focused on bringing down the
in the medium term,” said Kenya Power’s Managing Director &
CEO Dr. Ben Chumo.
The pilot project will involve installation of new type of
distribution transformers (amorphous) manufactured by TTDI,
noted. In addition, TTDI, under guidance from KPLC, will supply
safe and eco-friendly solid insulated switchgears (SIS) and gas
point out that there was a time a few years ago when Kenya had
dry-type ones to combat theft of transformer oil.
Toshiba and Kenya Power join
forces to stem grid losses

SPECIAL STORY
onnectivity to the southern
grid from the north-east-west
(NEW) grid is set to increase
significantly in the coming years.
From its present level of 5,900 mw, the
transfer capacity will more than treble
to 18,400 mw by 2020, according to
I.S. Jha, Chairman & Managing
Director, Power Grid Corporation of
India. Jha was addressing a media
briefing in Mumbai on the company’s
first quarter (April to June) results
of FY17. The top PGCIL official
explained that the task of improving
southern grid connectivity will be
accomplished by new lines, equipped
with modern technology.
Giving details on the new lines, Jha
noted that three new major lines are
coming up that will make up most
of the envisaged transfer capacity
to the southern grid. The idea is to
connect the coal belt of Odisha—
the seat of power generation—to
Tamil Nadu. This will take place by
a transmission line from Angul in
Odisha to Srikakulam and further
to Visakhapatnam, both in Andhra
Pradesh. There will be another
line connecting Visakhapatnam to
Vemagiri in Tamil Nadu. Both these
lines will be of 765kV rating and will
be equipped with GIS substations.
The transfer capacity of these two
lines will be around 4,000 mw.
Connectivity is also envisaged from
Chhattisgarh, another seat of coal-
firedpowerplants,toAndhraPradesh.
This will be achieved by a set of lines
connecting Raipur (Chhattisgarh) to
Wardha in Maharashtra, and further
to Nizamabad in Andhra Pradesh.
There will be onward intrastate
connectivity from Nizamabad to
Hyderabad. All these lines will also
be of 765kV voltage and with GIS
substations.
Jha explained that apart from
765kV lines, connectivity to south
India will also feature HVDC lines.
For instance, one 800kV HVDC line
has been envisaged from Raigarh in
Chhattisgarh directly to Pugalur in
Tamil Nadu. From Pugalur, this line
will branch out to several other areas
in Tamil Nadu, as well as Andhra
Pradesh and Karnataka. For reaching
power to Kerala, PGCIL will be using
a new technology voltage source
converter (VSC) for a line connecting
Pugalur to Thrissur in Kerala. This
line will have a capacity of 2,000 mw.
It may be recalled that in January
2014, the southern grid was
synchronously connected with the
remaining grids, ushering the era
of “One Nation, One Grid, One
Frequency.” Efforts are now on to
augment the transfer capacity of
the southern grid. South India has
generally suffered power deficits due
to absence of connectivity. For the
same reason, generation from wind
farms in Tamil Nadu could not be
injected to the national grid. Tamil
Nadu is India’s leading state in terms
of installed wind power capacity, it
may be mentioned.
Congestion in the national grid
has also reduced significantly, Jha
noted. From 0.58 per cent in FY14,
congestion fell to 0.30 per cent in
FY15 and further to 0.20 per cent in
FY16. Congestion is defined as the
quantum of electricity that could not
be transmitted as a percentage of the
total electricity generated.
Speaking of connectivity from the
western region (largely a generation
centre) to the northern region (a
consumption centre), Jha noted that
interregional transfer capacity will
be enhanced from the 7,900 mw to
around 20,000 mw by 2020.
As of March 2016, India had a
transmission network of 341,551 ckm
with a transformation capacity of
658,949 MVA and an interregional
transfer capacity of 59,050 mw. By
March 2017, it is envisaged that this
transfer capacity would reach around
65,000 mw. It is noteworthy that
765kV lines, which have twice the
transfer capacity as compared with
conventional 400kV lines, have been
gaining prominence. As of March
2016, India’s national grid had 24,245
C
PGCIL plans major upgrade to southern grid connectivity
PGCIL CAPEX: XII PLAN
Rs.crore
2012-13 20,037
2013-14 23,158
2014-15 22,456
2015-16 22,584
2016-17* 22,550
Total 1,10,785
*Targeted
Use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) Aerial patrolling using helicopters
I.S. Jha, CMD, PGCIL

SPECIAL STORY
ckm of 765kV representing 7 per cent
of the total length, as compared with
a mere 2 per cent as of March 2012.
PGCIL has had a dominant role
to play in building India’s national
grid. During the first four years
(FY13 to FY16) of the ongoing XII
Plan period, India could add 247948
MVA of transformation capacity out
of which PGCIL had a share of 65
per cent. In terms of interregional
transfer capacity, the country saw
the addition of 31,900 mw of which
PGCIL had a 81 per cent share. It
may be mentioned that interregional
lines are now being built under the
tariff based competitive bidding
mechanism in which PGCIL has to
bid alongside private players. Lines
are awarded on the basis of tariffs
quoted. Private players contributing
to interregional lines include Sterlite
Grid, Kalpataru Power Transmission,
among several others.
Capex on track: The capital
expenditure programme of PGCIL for
the ongoing XII Plan period appears
to be very much on track. The capex
planned for each of the first four years
of the plan has been achieved and for
the ongoing FY17, the same would
be true, said I.S. Jha. For the XII Plan
period, a total capex of Rs.1,10,000
crore was planned out of which
Rs.93,820 crore was achieved up to
June 2016. The remaining would be
achieved during the period July 2016
to March 2017. The XII Plan runs
through April 2012 to March 2017.
For the current year, FY17, a capital
expenditure target of Rs.22,580 crore
has been set out of which Rs.5,585
crore has been achieved in the first
quarter (April to June 2016.) In the
first quarter of FY17, PGCIL has
awarded contracts worth Rs.11,433
crore while investment of Rs.22,874
crore has been approved.
As of July 2016, PGCIL had total
works worth Rs.1,44,000 crore in hand
– the bulk of which (Rs.1,13,000 crore)
represented ongoing projects. New
projects accounted for Rs.15,000 crore
while TBCB projects represented the
remaining Rs.16,000 crore.
During FY17, PGCIL has planned
to augment its interregional
transfer capacity by 12,300 mw.
Major projects coming up for
commissioning include Pole-2,
Pole-3 and Pole-4 of the celebrated
Biswanath Chariyali-Aliarpurduar-
Agra HVDC transmission system.
This project is India’s first 800kV
HVDC transmission Line and the
world’s longest multi terminal HVDC
transmission line with line length of
1,750 km and capacity of 6,000 mw. It
isdesignedtolinkAssaminnortheast
India to Agra in north India, via West
Bengal. The transmission system will
enable transfer of electricity from
northeast India, as well as imports
from neighbouring countries like
Bangladesh, to consumption centres
in north India.
Hot-line maintenance
POWERGrid Corporation of India has sought shareholders’ approval to raise up to
Rs.14,000 crore through issuance of bonds from the domestic and external markets in
FY18. The funds will be raised through issuance of bonds through private placement.
This special resolution forms part of the agenda of its annual general meeting scheduled
on September 16, 2016. According to the proposal, the company will raise funds up
to eight tranches with or without greenshoe option and each tranche will be of up to
Rs.2,000 crore, exclusive of the greenshoe subscription.
Meanwhile, the board of PGCIL recently approved three investment proposals
worth Rs.733.32 crore for power transmission related projects. The board approved
provision of STATCOM at Nalagarh and Lucknow in Northern region at an estimated cost
of Rs.431.89 crore. The second approval is to provide series reactors in the northern
region at an estimated cost of Rs.177.52 crore. Meanwhile, the other approval is for
Northern Region System Strengthening Scheme (NRSSS) XXXV at an estimated cost of
Rs 123.91 crore with commissioning schedule 24 months from the date of investment
approval.
PGCIL to raise Rs.14,000 crore

INTERVIEW
Let us start with your partners in
India. While Sterlite and Apar have
been the mainstay, are you likely to
have more partners in the medium
term?
The market for ACCC® conductors
in India is growing steadily thanks
to our partners Sterlite and Apar.
In the medium term, our plan is to
continue working with them to help
all of the Indian power companies
discover and exploit the attributes
of the ACCC conductor in terms of
improving the efficiency, capacity,
reliability and resiliency of the
Indian power grid. Sterlite and
Apar are magnificent partners and
very supportive of CTC Global’s
collaboration and efforts.
As of now, how many projects have
you completed in India? What is
the quantum of projects under
execution?
In India we have 36 ACCC
conductor lines in service in ten
states. Besides this, work for about
a dozen additional ACCC lines is in
progress at various levels. Our first
ACCC line in India has now been in
service for over four years.
We understand that CTC Global has
made inroads in the power utilities
inIndiaandneighbouringcountries
like Nepal and Bangladesh. Tell us
more.
Currently, Indian utilities like
UPPTCL, MSETCL, OPTCL,
WBSETCL, KPTCL, TSTRANSCO,
PGCIL, GED, Torrent Power, Tata
Power, etc. are deploying ACCC
on their networks to augment
power transfer capacities and
improve efficiency. Recently, Power
Grid Corporation of Bangladesh
(“PGCB”) selected ACCC to upgrade
capacity of their 132kV lines. This
US-based CTC
Global Corporation
has developed and
owns the rights to the
tie-ups with two leading
makers, Sterlite
Currently, CTC Global
Dave Bryant and
Hitesh Mundhada
jointly speaking on the
road ahead for CTC
interview by
Venugopal Pillai.
We are now targeting the
400kV and 765kV market
— Dave Bryant,
Hitesh Mundhada,
Dave Bryant Hitesh Mundhada

INTERVIEW
project is funded by World Bank
and is scheduled to begin before
the end of the year. PGCB’s primary
consideration in selecting ACCC
conductor was its unmatched
efficiency while delivering twice the
power compared to existing ACSR.
We are also very keen to bid for a
220kV Asian Development Bank
funded green-field HTLS project for
Nepal Electricity Board to establish
our presence there.
Please describe in some detail your
engagement with Indian power
utilities and tell us how you see the
road ahead.
Currently 10 out of 29 states are
using ACCC on their networks. We
expect additional utilities in other
states to also adopt ACCC conductor
over a period of time as they also
begin to recognize the outstanding
attributes of the technology. We
are also seeing a number of repeat
orders which is very encouraging.
Torrent Power, for instance, recently
announced their eighth ACCC
conductor project.
The Union government has
embarked on a programme called
“UDAY” to financially restructure
discoms. Assuming that this meets
the intended objectives, do you
think power discoms will be in a
better financial position to adopt
advanced technologies solutions
like ACCC conductors from CTC
Global?
Yes,UjwalDiscomAssuranceYojana
aims at permanent resolution of
discom issues. In immediate term it
enables utilities to increase tariffs
& at the same time maintain their
operation efficiencies i.e. reduction
in losses. It is no secret that
technical T&D line losses in India
are one of the highest in world. For
utilities to benefit from UDAY it
essential for them to take measures
to achieve loss reduction targets
and that is where ACCC can play
a vital role.
CTC Global did a broad level
study of benefits of adopting ACCC
on 33kV lines. It is estimated that
there’s approx. 0.5 million circuit
of 33kV lines operational in India.
If 10 per cent of these lines (which
are overloaded) are replaced with
ACCC than overall savings can
be phenomenal. An investment of
$2 billion to upgrade 50,000 ckm
of heavily loaded 33kV lines can
reduce line losses by 19 million kwh
per year. This will result in savings
of $958 million in the first year alone
and $29 billion over 30 years. This
will also obviate the need for setting
up 5,200 mw of power generation
capacity, saving investments worth
$4.2 billion. The potential benefit in
the first year alone is $5.3 billion.
We understand that there are a
few technologies available to
Indian conductor manufacturers
for improving performance. Please
summarize the advantages that
CTC Global’s ACCC technology
offers over competition.
Other high-capacity conductors on
the market today (also known as
HTLS conductors) include Invar,
Gap, ACCR and ACSS. Invar
offers a very low coefficient of
thermal expansion to reduce line
sag but has very high electrical
losses due to magnetic hysteresis
of its iron-nickel alloy core. Gap
conductor is difficult to install
and cannot be spliced which
makes it impractical. It also uses
a significant amount of grease
which tends to ultimately drip,
while also causing debris to stick
to it which then causes audible
noise and radio interference due
to corona. Corona also contributes
to increased line losses. ACCR
offers good performance but is
extremely brittle which makes it
difficult to install. It is also very
expensive compared to the other
conductors in this category. ACSS
has been around for over 30 years,
but its sag is not much better than
CTC GLOBAL CORPORATION

INTERVIEW
ACSR. So for all practical purposes,
unless conductor tension can be
increased, it cannot necessarily
be used to increase line capacity.
The ACCC conductor’s composite
core is the strongest and lightest
of the bunch. It offers a coefficient
of thermal expansion about ten
times less than steel and, because
it is 70 percent lighter than steel, it
allows us to use approximately 28
percent more aluminum without
a weight or diameter penalty. The
added aluminum content not only
serves to carry more amps, it also
reduces electrical line losses by up
to 40 percent.
How does ACCC technology
fare in extra-high voltage
lines like 765kV, etc? What is
the highest voltage that CTC
Global is currently catering to
in India?
CTCGlobaliscurrentlycatering
to diverse voltage range from
22kV to 220kV in India. In
other parts of the world, CTC
Global’s ACCC conductor has
also been deployed on voltages
up to 533kV (DC). We expect
to maintain the trend in the
Indian market by targeting
400kV and 765 kV projects.
In India securing ROW for
765 kV is a very costly affair. The
per-km cost of securing ROW can
go as high as $2,50,000 in some
cases. Because the ACCC conductor
is so strong and has such good sag
performance we can increase the
span between fewer and/or shorter
structures to reduce environmental
impact and up front capital costs on
new lines. When ACCC is used for
reconductoring projects, it allows
utilities to use existing structures
without modification. American
Electric Power, for instance, recently
received the prestigious Edison
Award for reconductoring 386 km
of conventional ACSR using the
same size ACCC. They doubled line
capacity and reduced line losses by
30 percent effectively freeing up 28
mw of generation while reducing
CO2 emissions by 280,000 tonnes
per year. This was the equivalent
of taking 34,000 automobiles off
of the road – which is another
environmental / social / political /
economic advantage of using ACCC
conductor.
How is your manufacturing joint
venturein China faring?With power
utilities in India and its neighbours
now in your ambit, do you foresee
CTC Global manufacturing in India
as well?
CTC Global’s joint venture with Nari
(a wholly owned subsidiary of China
State Grid) continues to ramp up
production to serve China’s growing
demand. There is a very good chance
that India will be next in line.
Given the exciting time that CTC
Global is currently having in India,
how do you assess the road ahead?
In particular, how do you see the
contribution of government-owned
utilities in CTC Global’s India
business?
The ratio of investment in T&D and
generation has been somewhat
off balance with Indian T&D
remaining largely underinvested.
The government is highly aware
of this and working hard to make
adjustments to fulfill their promise of
“power for all by 2019.” At the start of
2016, Hon. Power Minister said
that India may spend $1 trillion
on power by 2030. Followed
by which IEA estimated $845
billion spend on T&D over the
next 25 years. The numbers
are very big and though Indian
T&D is witnessing lot of private
investments,roleofgovernment
utilities is ever increasing as
it deals with steadily growing
complex power delivery
challenges. CTC Global will
continue to work with these
utilities and help them tackle
issues like ROW, efficiency,
reliable power, etc.
Sag / temperature comparison of several Drake size conductors tested by Ontario Hydro at Kinectrics lab.
The graph not only shows the substantially reduced sag, it also shows the particular ACCC® conductor
tested operated at 60° to 80° C cooler than the other conductors tested under an equal 1,600 amp load
conditions. Cooler operating temperature reflects greatly reduced line losses, reduced operating costs,
reduced emissions and the ability to free-up generation capacity that is otherwise wasted.
CTC GLOBAL CORPORATION

EXPERT VIEW
ith growing demand of
power in urban areas and
industry, underground
cable systems are becoming
increasingly indispensable
part of power transmission and
distribution systems. Traditionally,
the comparatively high cost and
complexity involved in underground
cable systems, especially cable
jointing and cable termination,
has been the main deterrent to its
widespread adoption. Well designed
and well installed underground cable
systemsareexpectedtohaveaservice
life as long as 30 to 40 years. Some
powerutilitiesthathaveunderground
network, have developed their own
capability including skilled installers
and special tools and equipment
required for the installation of joints.
However, a majority of the users
sadly lack the in-house capability to
handle the joint installations quickly
on their own and therefore have to
depend on other agencies.
Power markets across the world
are being challenged by four often
conflicting drivers:
Requirements to carry more power
generated from remote sources of
energy
Requirements to increase the
interconnection capacity between
cities and states
Requirements to increase system
security while replacing ageing
transmission assets
Planning delays for new overhead
transmission infrastructure due
to heightened public interest in
environmental matters
Utility providers, transmission
companies and cable manufacturers
are looking for novel ways to
respond to these challenges. One of
the solutions that is able to address
all the sensitivities along with being
cost effective is the underground
cable. Underground cables have
unique properties for transmitting
power: they are out of sight, often
require only a narrow band of land
to install, emit no electric field
and can be engineered to emit no
magnetic fields, have better power
loss characteristics and can absorb
emergency power loads. As a result,
underground cables assist the
transmission of power across:
Densely populated urban areas
Areas where land is unavailable or
planning consent is difficult
Rivers and other natural obstacles
Land with outstanding natural or
environmental heritage
Areas of significant or prestigious
infrastructural development
Land whose value must be
maintained for future urban
expansion and rural development
The design and construction of
underground transmission lines
differ from overhead lines because of
two significant technical challenges
that need to be overcome. These
are:
Providing sufficient insulation so
that cables can be within inches of
grounded material
Dissipating the heat produced
during the operation of the
electrical cables
Because of these two factors,
industry experts may feel that
undergrounding is more expensive,
UNDERGROUND CABLING
Connecting Towns in India
KHADER BASHA K
Some examples of defects and failures of cable joints and terminations
W India, being a diverse
country, does not follow
any standardized voltage
levels for transmission
and distribution. In such
a situation, standardized
products fail to deliver
the desired results. The
properly leading to faults
in the cable joints and
terminations. It becomes
very challenging and
crucial to develop cable
accessories as per the
varying voltage levels.

EXPERT VIEW
24
since the cost of burying cables at
transmission voltages is several
times greater than overhead power
lines, and the life-cycle cost of an
underground power cable is two to
four times the cost of an overhead
power line. On a positive note, with
improvedtechnologiesandincreased
reliability, the cost differential
between underground cables and
overhead power lines is narrowing.
This means that power project
developers are more frequently
turning to underground cables
as an economic and technically
effective alternative when physical
obstructions or public opinion
hinder the development of networks.
Opportunity costs from lengthy
planning delays are reduced and the
expense and complexity of public
legal cases are minimized. Today’s
cable manufacturers are able to
provide innovative and customized
solutions for the modern state-of-
the-art power transmission industry.
Underground high and extra-high
voltage cables are equipped with
new design features, such as real-
time monitoring, which make them
an effective and reliable alternative
to overhead lines. In addition, for
utility companies, undergrounding
provides potential benefits through
reducedoperationsandmaintenance
(O&M) costs, reduced tree trimming
costs, less storm damage, reduced
loss of day-to-day electricity sales,
and reduced losses of electricity
sales when customers lose power
after storms.
The growth for the power cable
accessories has been slow in the
recent past due to the delays in
various greenfield projects and
the cable deployment by various
power distribution companies. It
is unfortunate that due to price
competitiveness; quality has taken a
backseat for power cable accessories.
However, an emerging trend is
being observed wherein both power
utilities and industrial end users
are encouraging the use of critical
products like cable terminations and
other cable accessories which ensure
better performance and extend the
life of the cable system. The cable
joint is a weak link in any cable
network; therefore it is prudent to
invest in cable accessory to prevent
any failure in the cable network,
thus ensuring uninterrupted power
supply.
Faults in cables can arise due to
various causes. Power cables are
manufactured in factories under
carefully monitored and balanced
conditions. During the entire
manufacturing process, they are
constantly monitored by various
instruments. However, when the
cables are laid at site, the actual
conditions are starkly different
from the sterile factory conditions.
Jointing is required to be done in
trenches which are often infested
with dust, moisture, vibrations
etc. Along with these unavoidable
factors, human factors are also
present. A joint is the weakest part
in an underground cable network. It
is subjected to predominantly three
kinds of stress – thermal stress,
electrical stress and mechanical
stress.
Keeping in mind the cable
construction, a failure in a cable can
occur in the conductor, insulation or
the sheath. Some common forms of
failures in a cable can be thermal
breakdown, partial discharge, water
treeing. As per a study conducted by
CESC, the various reasons leading
to the failure of a transition joint can
be depicted in the given figure.
Sudden failure can have serious,
and expensive, consequences
for the utility provider and its
customers. The first problem that
crops up is finding the fault location.
This may take a lot of time thus
leading to a long downtime and
service outage thereby affecting
the efficiency, productivity and
profitability of the utility provider.
The rate at which the cables can be
replaced is also limited by the cost.
India, being a diverse country,
does not follow any standardized
voltage levels for transmission and
distribution. In such a situation,
standardized products fail to deliver
the desired results. The accessories
might fail to fit properly leading
to faults in the cable joints and
terminations. It becomes very
challenging and crucial to develop
cable accessories as per the varying
voltage levels.
UNDERGROUND CABLING

There is a wide range of
underground cables and connection
shapes thus making them easy
to use. They provide moisture
imperviousness, good chemical
resistance, good thermal aging
properties, effective and reliable
stress control and are built to
withstand extreme environmental
conditions. They are compact hence
enablingmultipleterminations.They
are designed to meet international
standards and have an unlimited
shelf life.
The need for the hour is to offer
customized configurations to cater
to the needs of its clients as no two
projectsarecreatedequalanddifferent
projects have different requirements.
Even the most innovative technology
has little benefit unless it is correctly
applied. One of the primary reasons
for successful completion of any
projects is the network of technical
support, sales and supply chain
specialists. Their expertise is always
available to help suggest alternatives
for the customers to evaluate and
select a solution optimized for
their requirements – with training,
installation assistance, custom
configurations and more. Aligning
oneself with the customer needs
and innovating constantly to meet
their demands will be the first step
towards becoming a committed and
dominant player in power cable
accessories segment.
After decades of discussion,
municipalities and electric utilities
are discovering that the many
real and societal advantages to
undergrounding power lines go far
beyond just avoiding infrastructure
damage from storm events such
as hurricanes and thunder storms.
In fact, cost benefits accrue from
reducing day-to-day maintenance
and operating costs, improving
reliability, enhancing public safety
and improving aesthetics and
property values. In many areas of
the country, public policies are being
developed which consider some form
of cost-sharing for undergrounding,
as governmental agencies learn
more about the benefits which
accrue to themselves and to utilities,
developers,homeowners,businesses,
communities and other rate payers,
as a result of undergrounding.
It can be easily concurred
that underground cables are an
appropriate solution for the current
scenario in our country. Technical
improvements in cable technology
have advanced the reliability of
underground power thus giving
a much required impetus to the
widespread adoption of this
technology. Converting overhead
facilities to underground system fits
with many utilities’ goals ofproviding
uninterrupted power supply to its
customers. Evolving technology has
given the ability to power utilities
to physically locate underground
utilities and detect any faults thus
resulting in higher-than-expected
production, setting a precedent for
projects to come.
Khader Basha K is Senior
General Manager, Electrical
Markets Division, 3M Electro &
Communication (India) Pvt Ltd.
UNDERGROUND CABLING
KNOWN
and cables for specialized applications. According to reliable reports,
temperature application XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) submersible
Some of these products have already been test marketed. The
total market size of these aforementioned specialty products
is around Rs.14,000 crore, as per estimated provided by CRI
processing 10,000 tonnes of copper per year. In the second phase,
EXPERT VIEW

INTERVIEW
How much of your production goes
towards the power sector?
I would say 40-45 per cent of our
cables are used in the power side—
including utilities and industry.
I would add here that we are not
bidding directly in all places. In
some cases, it would be through
the EPC contractors. Bidding by
utilities (discoms) is nowadays more
through the EPC route. However,
the end application is in the power
sector.
What would be the other sectors to
which you cater?
Our portfolio is distributed across
various segments. One is in the
power sector. We also have lot
of products that are going to the
renewable energy sector—mainly
solar and wind. Ultimately, this is
also part of the power sector. Around
25 per cent of our portfolio goes to
the renewable sector.
Giventhatthenationalsolarmission
has envisaged as much as 100 GW
by 2022, do you envisage the share
of solar cables increasing?
Yes, and the way the solar
momentum has picked up even
if 80 GW is achieved, it would be
a great achievement. This would
be way higher than the 20 GW (by
2020) targeted by the previous
government.
Last year, you had launched fire-
survival cables. How has the market
response been?
If you see the logo of our
group company (Apar), it reads
“Tomorrow’s progress today.” The
punch line of Uniflex is “Innovative
cable solutions.” This means we
must bring out new technology
and stay ahead of the market. We
have been developing specialized
cable products. We do not produce
just run-of-the-mill offerings, and
V.K. Bajaj
Venugopal Pillai
We are planning to enter the
132kV cable segment
—V.K. Bajaj,

INTERVIEW
we are not a volume-dedicated
company. We always believe
in developing cables to solve
customer’s problems and meet
his needs. The fire-survival cable
that we introduced has however
unfortunately not picked as it
should have, mainly because of the
price consideration. The customer
is not willing to pay higher unless
there is statutory push. If there
are no statutory requirements,
no customer will be ready to add
extra costs.
I would also point out that there
is no BIS (Bureau of Industrial
Standards) specification for
zero-halogen cable. There are
specifications for PVC, FR-PVC,
etc. Recently, there was acceptance
of “FRLS” under BIS. However,
there is yet no specification for
zero-halogen in BIS. It is therefore
only customer-specific. Hence,
where it is absolutely necessary, the
customer will insist on fire-survival
cables. The specification bodies,
I feel, are not keeping abreast of
international practices.
Have you made presentations to
authorities concerned?
We have not make presentations
as yet and because the industry is
fragmented, there has no push from
the manufacturers. However, I feel
that if IEC has a specification for
fire-survival cables and that BIS has
specifications corresponding to IEC,
they (BIS) might as well introduce
required specifications for fire-
survival cables in India. Apart from
us, there are other manufacturers
capable of manufacturing such
cables. I reiterate that absence of
industry specifications is slowing
down the propagation of fire-
survival cables.
Uniflex had plans of entering the
home wiring segment. What is the
latest in this regard?
Let me start with a background.
As you are aware, Uniflex Cables
Ltd was a sick company that was
acquired by Apar Group in 2008.
The first thing that was done after
Apar took over was to consolidate
and improve the manufacturing
activity. Since Apar took over, we
have been having a CAGR of more
than 25 per cent in the last eight
years. We expect to reach Rs.800
crore this year, FY17.
We found that the building wire
segment was one where we were
really not present. We have started
working on this segment since the
last year. We did want to go to the
all-India level right away so we
have started focusing on Gujarat,
our home state. We have made a
successful market entry. In Gujarat,
we have been able to do business
worth around Rs.10 crore in the
home wiring segment. We are now
trying to introduce building wires to
certainregionalpockets,forexample
Bangalore, Chennai and Indore,
before taking it to the all-India level.
Because it is a B2C product, we
need to create matching supporting
infrastructure. We have started a
separate department especially for
this product.
What about the branding?
We have two brands. One is
“Unicab” – the regular brand -- and
the other is “Apar Anushakti” for the
fire-safe variant that is made after
electron beam treatment.
What is your view on the extent
of marginal players in the low-
tension home wiring segment?
The extent of marginal or
“unbranded” players in this
segment is gradually reducing.
Today, the largest Indian companies
are present in the building wire
industry. Till around 25 years, the
share of organized players was only
20 per cent. But as the knowledge
of customers improved, there
is a strong preference today for
branded and quality products. The
government has also tightened the
tax regime that has made it difficult
for marginal players to survive. We
have reached a stage where branded
wires account for almost two-thirds
of the market. Once the GST regime
sets in, I feel that branded wires
will account for 80 per cent of the
building wire market.
We understand that Uniflex was
planning entry in the exports
market for its “anti-theft” cables.
Yes, we have developed a certain
special variety of anti-theft cables.
I would not say it is developed
exclusively by us because this
concept has been in practice in many
developing countries, especially
UNIFLEX CABLES
Continued on Page 38

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and get wide exposure at key events:
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CONTACT
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T: +91 (22) 6221 6617 M: (0) 98-210-06258
October
2016
Last date for booking: September 28, 2016

TECHNICAL INSIGHT
CABLES USED IN SOLAR PV
POWER PLANTS
ables and interconnections
with low resistivity
(resistance per m) and
voltage drop are necessary to
avoid losses primarily and also
defects,accidents. Though, normally
cables may be given less importance
in a solar PV system, but their effects
could not be underestimated.
A large number of 4 & 6 sqmm size
cables (approx. 12 – 15 km per mw)
are required on DC side of a solar PV
system. These electrical connections
are required in order to connect the
modules of a PV plant to the inverters,
junction boxes viz.,
PV module to module in a series
string&PVstringstoarrayjunction
box/ Inverter: Here, cables are
exposed to direct sunlight, UV rays,
outdoor ambient temperature and
other environmental conditions.
Array junction box to main
junction box/ Inverter & Main
junction box to Inverter: Here,
cables are normally routed through
conduits/covered trays and are not
exposed to direct sunlight. These
conduits / covered trays could be
installed either above ground or
underground. Hence, here cables
are not exposed to direct sunlight
and UV but only exposed to
outdoor ambient temperature and
other environmental conditions.
Safe Earth Grounding: Here,
cables may be exposed or may
be covered. They may be subject
to variety of environmental
conditions.
Hence, the losses along the cables
and at contact points can become
appreciable if not properly selected in
terms of size, design, conductor etc.
DC cables are expected to meet the
following parameters, namely:
1. Single core, flexible and colour
coded
2. Dual wall insulated and cross
linked, halogen free, low smoke,
flame retardant
3. High resistance to abrasion and
temperature extremes
4. High resistance to extreme
environmental conditions of UV,
ozone, humidity, rain, snow, sand,
salt etc.
5. Fine stranded, tin plated copper
conductor, easy to handle, bend,
route and strip
6. High dielectric withstanding
voltage up to 1,600V
7. Current rating to withstand
extreme currents in module/
string/array with de-rating factors
of up to 10
8. Conductorsizemeetingresistance
requirement for given length of
cable
9. Voltage drop meeting minimum
DC power loss criteria (1-3%)
10. 25 years life span
Similarly, equally large lengths
of cables are required on AC side
of a solar system. Solar PV plants
typically use aluminium conductor
cables on AC side of the system.
These are used to connect power
output fromInverters to transformers
andeventuallyhighvoltageelectrical
substation, namely:
Inverter to LT transformer/grid
LT transformer to HT transformer
HT transformer to plant
switchyard
Plant switchyard to substation
In a MW-size solar PV plant,
Importance of Cables in
Solar Photovoltaic Systems
C
VIRENDER KUMAR GUPTA

TECHNICAL INSIGHT
30
optimizing cable size and cable
routing becomes important for
system designer. As a result,
selection of cables, cable sizes and
their layouts are as important as
selection of modules and inverters.
Therefore,long-lasting,goodquality,
copper conductor cables are looked
forward to.
Theoperatingtemperatureofcable
affects its current carrying capacity
and hence, the local site conditions
play very important role while
selecting right size of cable. The
system voltage is also an important
factor while deciding the cable size
as cable size can be reduced to carry
the same power at higher voltage.
STANDARDS
DC cables need to conform to the
following standards in solar PV
plants:
These standards take into account
the prevailing environmental
conditions in their respective
countries.
TUV specification is for DC cables
while IEC and IS specifications are
generic (for DC and AC cables) and
there is need for harmonization of
the standard for PV cables.
The standards applicable to
design, selection and installation
of PV cables are NEC, IEC60287,
IEC60364, IS1255, VDE0298-4. The
criterion for sizing and selection of
cables is different from each other
in these standards.
PARAMETERS FOR CABLE SELECTION
The important parameters to be
looked (apart from others) into while
selecting cables are:
i. Ambient temperature –
correction factor is applicable
on rated currents of cable
ii. Rated voltage
iii. Current rating
iv. Resistance per unit length
v. Voltage drop per unit length
– need to define acceptable
voltage drop limits for solar PV
power plants of different sizes
(small, medium and large).
This could further be fine-tuned
by fixing limits of voltage drop
within various sections i.e.,
string cables, array cables and
interconnections
vi. Power loss per unit length
- need to define acceptable
power loss limits for solar PV
power plants of different sizes
(small, medium and large).
vii. Flexibility
viii. Bending radius
ix. Corrosion
The current rating of cable would
depend on:
1. Ambient temperature
2. Conductor temperature
3. Sun/UV exposition Factor
4. Layout depth factor
5. Layout grouping factor
6. Soil temperature
7. Thermal conductivity
Factors governing design of cable
insulation, armouring and outer
sheath are:
1. Ambient temperature
2. Humidity, rain and water
3. Pollution, UV and ozone
4. Resistance to abrasion
5. Resistance to heat and flame
DC cable selection takes into
consideration the following key
parameters depending upon
the areas or sections—for String
Inverter and for central inverter—
where cables are to be laid.
1 PV design safety factor of 1.25
(for peak radiation and temp
variation)
2 Continuous rating safety factor
of 1.25
3 Ambient temperature de-
rating factor for conductor
temperature?
4 Ambient temperature correction
for cable resistance and voltage
drop corresponding to the
conductor temperature
5 Fixing of limits of voltage
drop and power loss in string
cables, array cables and
interconnections etc.
6 Acceptable current over-rating
factor over &above safety and
de-rating factors
CABLE INSTALLATION PRACTICES
1. DC cables used in Solar
Industry have following types of
insulation and sheathing:
XLPE
UV stabilized HR 105 deg. C
PVC
Cross-linkable LSOH
UV stabilized PVC ST2
Each has its own advantages
and disadvantages in different
applications
2. Outdoor cables have multiple
ratings for wet and high
temperature conditions and
hence need to be properly
selected for Solar PV Power
Plant applications.
3. The outdoor DC cables also
require protection from
rodents.
4. Thoughcolor-codingistypically
not followed but same would
be of immense benefits in the
longer run & hence needs to be
ensured.
5. Available & permissible
bending radius of the Cables
needs to be looked into and
strictly adhered to.
6. The DC cables should be laid
and interconnected in such a
manner so as to avoid Earth /
short circuit faults. This will
also protect Cables from arcing
and potential fires. The DC
string/array voltages can go up
to 1200V or 1600V, hence DC
CABLES IN SOLAR PV SYSTEMS
GLOBAL NATIONAL
1. Europe-PV1-F 1. TUV 2Pfg 1169 /08.2007
2. Germany-TUV-2Pfg1169 2. IEC60502 Part 1
3. USA-UL4703 3. IS694
4. Japan-JCS4517 4. IS1554 Part 1
5. UK-BS EN 50618 5. IS7098 Part 1

TECHNICAL INSIGHT
T&D India 31
arcing can cause catastrophic
failures in solar PV plants.
7. Safety factors both for
dielectric withstand voltage
and permissible power loss in
cables should be harmonized /
standardized.
8. Small size (500W-5kW) plants
typically compromise with 2 or
3 core AC cable on DC side and
needs correction. Both IEC and
NEC specify de-rating factors
and allowable current ratings
and clear guidelines need to be
established.
9. Cable sizing should be primarily
based on technical parameters
over and above optimal cost
considerations and rather be
evaluated based on lifecycle
cost formulae.
10. Current carrying capacity of
cables under high Ambient
temperature conditions of
around 40-50 deg. needs careful
attention.
11. In order to reduce total
cable length and number of
interconnections thereby to
achieve low DC loss and higher
system reliability module
interconnection methods like
‘Active trunk and drop cabling’
could be perused.
12. The safety of earthingconductor
its size, type and termination
also needs critical attention.
CABLE ACCESSORIES
The peripheral components and
accessories associated with cables
are conduits, trays, connectors,
terminals and fasteners.
a. Conduits and trays should be
suitably rated so as to withstand
high temperatures and wet
conditions. These should have
suitable protection from edges,
sunlight and corrosion. Most
commonly types of conduits
used are of PVC and GI, which
could be selected suitable for site
conditions.
b. Crimp connectors required should
have low contact resistance over
a period of twenty to twenty five
years. They should have long-term
secure connection so as to avoid
possibility of arcing. Two types of
PV module connectors are used
by industry, MC4 and Tyco.
c. Terminals used in junction boxes
are of the following types:
i. The screw and post terminals
with spring-clamp are prone
to loose connections, resistive
losses and arcing.
ii. Plug type connectors require
special tools and hence are not
easy to use on field.
iii. Lock-on type terminals are
used to connect DC cables
directlyontobusbars.Theseare
ideal for Solar PV application
as they avoid arcing.
d. Array junction boxes and main
junction box used in solar PV
installations are rated for IP65
in order to protect them from
moisture and dust ingress. These
boxes are typically located under
hot solar PV panels/modules.
Hence, these boxes are subjected
to temperatures higher than
ambient.
e. Terminal glands are selected with
IP65 degree of protection.
Even 1% saving in cable power
loss will amount to huge savings in
the form of revenue that could be
collected through sale of surplus
electricity.
Selection of Copper Conductor
Aluminium Conductor on AC side:
The aluminiumconductorisnormally
selected for cables used on AC side
of solar PV power plants. Here, it
has been observed that stakeholders
opt for aluminium conductor in
the cables perhaps more driven by
cost saving considerations. It can
generate up to 30 per cent savings.
However, cables of higher sizes are
required with aluminium conductor
due to poor conductivity.
Also higher torque is required for
screw terminations which results
in creating Loose connections
over a period of time. Due to such
loose connections the probability of
arcing gets enhanced leading to fire
related damages. The installations
with aluminium conductors are
bigger in size. Hence, design and
installation practices for cables with
aluminium conductors in PV systems
needsintense review.
Copper Conductor on DC side:
However, for cables in solar PV
power plants especially on DC
side, we need to take adequate
care of all the technical parameters
which predominantly suggest the
selection of copper as preferred
conductor. Here, the cable sizes are
lesser and installations are not so
bulky. Problem of arcing and loose
connections is avoided. One must
look into lifecycle costs which tend
to prefer copper conductor in the
cables on DC side.
Virender Kumar Gupta is
Senior Consultant, International
Copper Association India,
and may be reached on
virender.gupta @copperalliance.
asia
TECHNICAL INSIGHT CABLES IN SOLAR PV SYSTEMS
September 2016

INTERVIEW
CMI recently received approval
from the Indian Railways (IR) for
certain types of wires. Tell us more.
Yes, in June 2016, CMI received
approval from Indian Railways to
supply hard drawn contact wire and
catenery wire used in electric traction
of trains at 25kV. Both wires have
tremendous application in Indian
Railways, metro rails and dedicated
freight corridors.
CMI already has been supplying
to Railways and today Railways
business is the biggest revenue
stream for us. With this approval,
CMI has become approved for the
entire range of Signaling (both
indoor and outdoor), telecom, quad
cables, indoor signaling and wires &
conductors for high voltage traction
on electrified tracks.
Our offerings in the Railways
and metro segment include railway
signaling & power cables, balise
cables, axle counter quad cable,
control cables, catenary wire, hard
drawn copper contact wire and low-
smoke zero halogen cables.
What impact do you see this Indian
Railways approval having on CMI’s
business?
Railways and its subsidiaries are our
biggest customers as on date. With
the focus of the government on the
development and modernisation
of railway infrastructure, we are
optimistic about the growth and the
future looks great.
Indian Railways has only 28,000
km of electrified track out of a
total of 67,000 km of track. The
balance 39,000 km of track has to
be electrified in the near future.
Besides this, 7,000 km of dedicated
freight corridor will be added in
the next five years. Work is already
going on in 3,000 km of the Western
and Eastern Freight Corridor, which
is expected to be completed in the
next three years.
The cost of these specialized
Incorporated in 1967, CMI
Ltd is a reputed supplier of
specialty cables catering to
a wide range of industries
including railways, power,
telecommunication, defence
and mining. Very recently,
CMI received approval
from Indian Railways for
certain types of wires used
in electric traction. In an
interaction with T&D India,
Amit Jain discusses this
recent approval and the
impact of Indian Railways
on the company’s business.
Jain also speaks about
various aspects of the
Indian cable industry,
including the niche EHV
cable segment.
Constant innovation has driven
our business growth
—Amit Jain, Managing Director,
CMI Ltd

INTERVIEW
cables is around Rs.12 lakh per
km of track. CMI Ltd is amongst a
handful of manufacturers who have
been approved by the Railways for
the supply of these cables. The total
business potential from the supply of
these cables to railways is Rs.1,000-
1,500 crore per year.
We believe that the potential
business accretion from the supply
of these new cables to Railways in
FY17 could go up to Rs.100 crore.
Speaking of the power sector, you
had plans of manufacturing 66kV
cables. What is the current status?
We have installed capacity to
manufacture66kV,110kVand132kV
cables at our recently acquired,
state-of-the-art green plant at Baddi
in Himachal Pradesh. We expect
to start earning revenues for this
category for this category from Q3
of FY17.
CMI has been focusing on specialty
cables. What have been recent
launches?
As a continuous developmental
activity for new products, we have
been focusing on the following
categories: PUR-cables for GIS
systems, LHS cables for power
generating units; and twin-ax HF
cables for space and defence.
Given that CMI is a technology-
responsive company, please discuss
your technical/technology aspects.
The technology being used at
CMI has been developed in-house
over the period of decades and is
the result of rigorous research &
development.
Our plant & machinery is state
of art and has been procured
from reputed manufactures in
India or from abroad. Continuous
improvement is being done, keeping
in mind the specific requirements of
customers.
We have various ISI certification
marks to ensure quality of cables as
per BSI standards. Specific customer
approvals have also been accorded
to us from various customers and
quality of cables is ensured as per
their specifications.
We are proud to say that we are
working on zero tolerance level and
goods dispatched from our works
after strict inspection and have
always exceeded the performance
levels in actual usage.
India is dependent on foreign
technology for several types of
cables, e.g. EHV cables above
220kV. Do you think that India could
eventually achieve self-sufficiency
in this niche segment?
We firmly believe that India could
achieve self-sufficiency in this niche
segment, most likely by the end of
13th Plan period.
The Indian low-voltage cable
industry is flooded with marginal
players. There are also imports of
products from abroad, including
China. What is your overall
perception of the situation?
With the estimated CAGR of around
15 per cent, the sheer size of the low
voltage electric cables industry is an
attractive segment for unorganized
players and competing with them
for any organization is impossible
only on the price front.
The issues with the unorganized
sector are manifold: inferior quality
insulation, poor material used, poor
jacketing etc. They can be a safety
hazard for the buyer and is also
responsible for giving a bad name
to the overall industry. The products
from the organized players are
costlier for obvious quality reasons.
Similarly, the Chinese sub-
standard imports are also a major
concern: These cause quality and
safety issues and give a bad name
to the industry. But now the industry
is gearing up to take the challenge
head-on and is creating awareness
about the need for certifications and
educating the influencers in the
category.
Indian companies need to start
focusingonresearch&development,
innovation and product quality.
R&D is most important in any
field of manufacturing activity,
but unfortunately it is not given its
due credit in our industry. Global
certifications and requirements are
very different from that in India and
it is therefore important that any
Indian organization that is looking
at sales abroad keeps itself updated
on the global requirements.
Multinationals are already present
in India, or have active plans to
do so. What is your reading of the
impact that it could have on the
Indian cable industry?
We welcome competition and
CMI LTD

INTERVIEW
have already geared up to face it.
Our products are equal to the best
available globally and our production
facilities and processes are state of
the art.
Whenever there are quality players,
who look at an industry closely,
the end consumer is the eventual
beneficiary. Global standards when
applied to any segment will only add
to the betterment of the segment.
Thesector,withincreasedcompetition
and global standards will benefit and
come up with better and more robust
products for the B2B and B2C sector.
Coming back to CMI, what is the
latest status of new facilities that
you were set to acquire in Himachal
Pradesh?
Production has already commenced
at our state of the art manufacturing
facility in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh.
CMI has now become one of the
few players in India who have the
capability of manufacturing specialty
cables for wide ranging sectors,
meeting stringent quality and test
parameters for extreme condition
usage.
It is a certified Green Building with
all modern manufacturing facilities
and machineries to manufacture
various types of cables. We expect
to add Rs.1,000 crore in capacity,
with the commencement of this
facility. In the next three years, the
company expects to optimally utilize
the additional capacity, adding
substantially to both the top-line and
the bottom-line.
What would you regard as CMI’s
key growth drivers in the years
ahead?
The key triggers for our business
growth have been constant
innovation and focus on R&D.
We have managed to stay ahead of
the technology curve and this has
been because of us pumping money
into the R&D. We have always
innovated new products, keeping
in mind changing customer
requirements.
We have been also focused on
quality and that is why we are
the preferred supplier for most of
the categories that we operate in.
This is visible in our growth, going
from the revenues of Rs. 5.60 crore
in FY05 to over Rs.240.22 crore in
FY16.
CMI LTD
ACCORDING to a new report published by
Allied Market Research, titled, “World High-
Voltage Cable Market—Opportunities and
Forecasts, 2015–2022,” the global high-
voltage cable (HVC) market is expected to
garner $47.1 billion by 2022, growing at a
CAGR of 6.7 per cent from 2016 to 2022.
HVCs operate at a voltage greater than
66kV, and are used for electric power
transmission and distribution over long
distance with minimum power loss. The
HVC market is largely driven by increase in
investments in renewable energy projects
andgrowthinurbanization,industrialization,
and infrastructure in developing countries
such as India, China, and Brazil.
HVCs are segmented into three types,
which include overhead, underground,
and submarine. The underground HVC
segment holds a significant revenue
share in the world HVC market, owing to
the applications of these cables in various
industries such as power utilities, mining,
paper & pulp, and cement industry among
others. However, submarine cables are
expected to witness the fastest growth
during the forecast period, with a CAGR
over 8 per cent. The growth would be
driven by their applications in offshore
power projects and oil & gas industry
and their various competitive advantages
over other cables such as presence of
extra shield, armour, and protection &
bedding.
Among the end user segment, industrial
segment held the highest revenue share in
2015, owing to growing energy demand
in industries such as oil & gas, mining,
power utilities, and chemicals among
others. Renewable energy segment also
over 36 per cent in the overall market in
2015. However, infrastructure segment
is expected to witness the fastest growth
during the forecast period due to increase
in urbanization in developing countries
such as China and India.
generating region in this market, followed
by Europe and North America. Among the
market with nearly 60 per cent revenue
to its strong layout of transmission plans.
anticipated to exhibit the highest growth,
registering a CAGR of over 7 per cent
during the forecast period.
(Source: tdworld.com)
Global HV cable market to touch $47 bln by 2022

PHOTO FEATURE
iemens recently installed an offshore
substation for the 402-mw Dudgeon
offshore wind farm in UK. The plant
is located 32km off the coast of Norfolk in the
North Sea. Photograph 1 shows the complex
installation of under deck cables comprising
132kV and 33kV cables and 33kV busbar
system installed underneath the cable deck.
Installation of the 33kV array circuits down to
‘through joints’ on the cable deck significantly
minimise the installation time and costs
offshore. Throughout the topside there is 50
km of cable. Photograph 2 (Copyright: Statoil)
shows the actual installation that involved
pulling the platform into the designated position
and connecting it up to the previously anchored
base frame. This is the most critical part of
installation and cannot be done in bad weather.
Photograph 3 (Copyright: Statoil) shows the
completedinstallation.Theplatformisdesigned
for decades of operation in the rugged North
Sea and will be monitored and controlled from
land when it has been commissioned. With the
Dudgeon platform, Siemens has completed the
14th installation of an offshore substation. For
the 402-mw project, Siemens will manufacture,
deliver, install and commission 67 Siemens
direct-drive wind turbines rated at 6 mw each
and equipped with a 154m rotor. Installation
will start in early 2017.
S
PHOTO FEATURE
Siemens installs offshore
grid connection in UK
September 201635
1
3
2
T&D India

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S E C T R U MPS

EVENTS
LEADING trade fairs for electronic components and manufacturing
technologies—electronica India 2016 and productronica India
2016—the leading trade fairs take place from September 21-
23, 2016 at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) in
Bangalore. This edition is set to be the biggest edition of the trade fairs
marked by over 400 exhibitors representing 650 companies from 16
countries including Japan, France, Korea, Malaysia, Switzerland to
name a few. The trade fairs will also see country pavilions from six
countries, Germany, UK, China, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong.
The participation of leading exhibitors from across the industry
productronica India 2016 as an industry event. These include
Murata, Rohm, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, Bosch, NXP,
Master Instruments Corporation, Juki India, NMTronics, Panasonic
India, Samsung, Maxim SMT, Kaynes Technologies, Sahasra,
Transtec, Mycronic, Komax, Atotech, Leaptech, SGS Tekniks, and
many more.
Concurrent to the trade fairs, there will be various conferences,
a buyer-seller forum, a B2G (business to government) forum,
and exclusive pavilions from IPC India and CLIK (Consortium of
Electronic Industries of Karnataka).
various Indian states including Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana,
Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh in the State Pavilion. ELCINA
and Messe München India have jointly organized Invest India – a
CEO forum, wherein the states will bring in attractive investment
opportunities in the Electronics System Design & Manufacturing
Bengaluru to host electronica India
AfricanandLatinAmericancountries.
We call it “anti power theft” cable
whereas in the international market
it may be referred to as “power
pilferage proof” cable. We have been
exporting anti-theft cables worth
Rs.20-30 crore but unfortunately we
have not been successful to sell in
India,exceptforsome“experimental”
applications. In India, there is not
much demand because all
power utilities maintain
that they are not affected by
“power theft”!
There is trend of large
companies to move into the
EHV cable segment. Do you
have plans in this direction?
Yes, we have analyzed the situation
and have found that the demand for
EHV cables has not been as bullish
as expected. There are already
8-9 players in the segment but the
demand continues to be considerably
low. The competition in this segment,
the capex required to set up an EHV
cable plant, and the rate of return
on investment, did not justify, in
our opinion, an entry into EHV
cables. Therefore, we moved into the
specialty cable segment that includes
the electron-beam cable discussed
earlier. Though our assessment is
that EHV cable is not viable as of
now, the demand for EHV cable is
likely to grow in future. We are in
the process of setting up a 132kV
EHV cable line. We have already
ordered the equipment and by the
end of this fiscal year, we should be
in the process of entering the EHV
segment, albeit in a limited way. The
machine that we have ordered will do
EHV as well as medium voltage. So if
EHV cable is not working out, we can
continue with the expanded capacity
in the medium-voltage range.
Will the expansion taking place at
your existing plant?
Yes, we have set up a facility for
specialty cables 15km from our
existing plant at Umargaon in
Gujarat. The related equipment
is being shifted to the new plant.
Hence, we are creating space at the
existing plant to accommodate the
EHV cable line.
Is there any technical or financial
collaboration for the EHV cable
line?
No, there are no collaborations. Our
in-house team, I feel, is competent
enough to handle it.
Can you summarize the way ahead
for Uniflex in terms of capex, new
products, etc?
When we went in for electron-beam
project, expansion of fibre-optic
capacity, etc, we reached
a turnover of Rs.100 crore.
This was 2-3 years ago.
Right now, for further
expansion of capacity for
EHV, medium-voltage and
low-voltage (including
building wire) products,
I think the capex is over
Rs.50 crore this year. We have
targeted sales of Rs.800 crore for
FY17 for which we are very much
on track. Our sales growth has come
out of continuously increasing
capacity and utilizing it. Next year
our sales target is Rs.1,000 crore so
we will have do a little more capex
as well. Our objective is to be a
significant player with a Rs.2,000-
crore company, over the next 5-7
years. We have therefore to keep
adding to our capacity in a phased
manner.
We are planning to enter the 132kV cable segment
Continued from Page 27
External views of the two manufacturing units of Uniflex Cables in Gujarat.

ACHIEVEMENT
oshiba JSW Power Systems Pvt
Ltd. (Toshiba JSW) announced
that its first made-in-India
supercritical steam turbine generator
was shipped from its Chennai facility
in Tamil Nadu. The 800-mw STG
will be deployed in Unit-2 of NTPC’s
3x800-mw Kudgi supercritical
thermal power plant at Kudgi in
Karnataka. This STG, according to
a Toshiba release, is the company’s
first large-scale generation system to
be manufactured and assembled with
locally procured parts and systems,
and tested in India.
On this occasion, Yoshiaki
Inayama, Managing Director of
the company said in a release: “We
established Toshiba JSW with the
goal of offering ‘One Stop Solution’
covering Engineering, Procurement,
Manufacturing, Construction
and Services (EMPCS). With this
shipment we embark on our local
manufacturing – from procurement
to testing and shipping, for customers
in India and the neighboring
countries.”
The release further observed
that the government of India’s XII
Plan period aims at boosting power
generation capacity at an average
annual rate of 17,700 mw with 80
per cent of this coming from thermal
power plants.
To support these efforts by
delivering advanced products that
offer high level operating efficiency,
Toshiba JSW established its first
manufacturing plant spread across
400,000sqmwithacurrentproduction
capacity of 3,000 mw, which can
be scaled up to 6,000 mw. This is
Toshiba’s first and the only overseas
thermal power plant equipment
manufacturing facility outside of
Japan and follows the company’s
global manufacturing standards and
manufacturing practices focusing on
safety, quality and commitment to the
environment.
In February 2012, Toshiba Group
was placed an order by NTPC
to supply three steam turbine
generator island packages for the
Kudgi supercritical power plant in
Karnataka. The first unit was supplied
by Toshiba Corporation while the
second and third will be supplied by
Toshiba JSW.
According to information available,
Toshiba JSW Power Systems Pvt
Ltd currently has orders for several
supercritical power plants. Three
turbines of 800-mw each are being
built for NTPC’s Kudgi plant out of
which two have been supplied and
one is under construction. Two others,
alsoof800-mwrating,willbesupplied
to NTPC’s Darlipali plant in Odisha.
Two units of 660-mw have been
ordered for the Meja thermal power
project in Uttar Pradesh, developed
by a joint venture between NTPC and
state power utility Uttar Pradesh Rajya
Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd. Besides,
Toshiba JSW, in September 2015, also
clinched a $520-million EPC order
for the 1x660-mw Harduaganj power
plant of UPRVUNL in Uttar Pradesh.
The order covers boilers, turbine-
generators and civil works.
SHIPMENT ROLLS OUT OF CHENNAI FACTORY
T
ONGOING ORDERS OF TOSHIBA-JSW*
Owner Project State Capacity
NTPC Kudgi Karnataka 3x800-mw
NTPC Darlipali Odisha 2x800-mw
Meja Urja Pvt Ltd** Meja Uttar Pradesh 2x660-mw
UPRVUNL Harduaganj Uttar Pradesh 1x660-mw
*List may not be exhaustive; **JV of NTPC and UPRVUNL
Yoshiaki Inayama, Managing Director of Toshiba JSW Power Systems Pvt Ltd with the
company’s first made-in-India 800-mw steam turbine and generator.
Inside view of Toshiba JSW’s Chennai
manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu

T&D India (September 2016): Technology to the Rescue

T&D India (September 2016): Technology to the Rescue

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