Switching off lights could lead to grid collapse : Tharoor on PM Modi's call

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday expressed concern over the Prime Minister's call to switch off lights at 9 pm on April 5, saying that it is not a contemplated move and might cause electric grid to crash.

The PM Narendra Modi has given a call to light candles and diyas on April 5 at 9 pm for 9 minutes to highlight country's spirit in fighting COVID-19.

"An unprecedented drop in electricity demand at 9 pm Sunday and an immediate surge at 9.09 pm could cause the electrical grid to crash. So Electricity Boards are contemplating load shedding from 8 pm and staggered return to normal after 9.09 pm. One more thing the PM did not think about!" Tharoor tweeted.

Along with his tweet, the Congress MP shared a letter written by Uttar Pradesh State Load Despatch Centre (UPSLDC) to concerned officers for urgent actions to be taken up for smooth and safe operation of the grid on April 5.

"It is estimated on April 5 occasion in case of switching off lighting load in Uttar Pradesh (while whole country would also be doing the same activity) approximately 3000 MW sharp load reduction phenomenon may occur in the State in a very little duration of time," the letter read.

It said that the load reduction may also cause a high voltage surge in the Uttar Pradesh power grid.

The UPSLDC requested that appropriate instructions be issued to the field officers to ensure that all reactors in Uttar Pradesh power grid must be kept in service during the period and capacitor banks must be kept out of service.

"Moreover, all generating stations must be ready to generate power in such a manner that the reactive power be absorbed to the limiting value of their capability curve. All generating units must remain in free governor mode operation. In order to operate power grid safe, secured and smooth manner, sham crashing of load must be avoided," the UPSLDS said.

In a video message on Friday, the Prime Minister asked citizens to turn all lights off in their houses at 9 pm on Sunday (April 5) and to stand at their doors or windows with a candle, diya and torch for nine minutes in a battle against the COVID-19.