CERC orders investigation into failure of power grids

The apex regulator, which is in the eye of a storm in the wake of grid collapses, has sought a detailed report from Power Grid Corp CMD and Power Systems Operation Co Ltd (P0SOCO) Chief Executive Officer.

The report has to be submitted by August 8, CERC said in an order dated August 1.

"... We direct the CEO, POSOCO and the CMD, Central Transmission Utility to investigate into the incidences of grid failure on 30.7.2012 and 31.7.2012 and submit a report within a week from the date of issue of this order," the regulator said.

Considered one of the world's worst ever power crisis, the collapse of Northern, Eastern and North Eastern grids on Tuesday afternoon impacted over half of India's population.

The Northern Grid, that caters to over 30 crore people across nine regions, had first tripped on July 30 at 0233 hours and then again on July 31 at around 1300 hours.

"This has affected the communication, essential services, industry, economy and the life of the people in a large way. The grid failure of such large magnitude on two consecutive days is alarming and needs to be investigated in detail," the order said.

According to CERC, the report should touch upon antecedent frequency situation, conditions of outage at inter-regional/inter-state lines prior to grid disturbance and details of the sequence of event records maintained by Regional Load Despatch Centres.

POSOCO, a subsidiary of Power Grid, controls the National Load Despatch Centre that monitors the country's electricity grid system.

The government has already set up a three-member committee, headed by Central Electricity Authority (CEA) Chairperson A S Bakshi, to look into the grid failures and their report is anticipated in two weeks time.