Heatwave crisis in India: Govt reviews power projects for high temperatures

Northern regions of the subcontinent have seen record high temperatures this summer, causing peak power demand to soar to 250 GW on May 30, compared to 243 GW last September

The government has initiated discussions on measures to ensure that power projects, including those powered by renewable energy, can operate effectively during extreme heatwaves like the ones India experienced this summer, where temperatures reached 50 degrees Celsius, according to a report by The Economic Times.

The report quoted a source as saying that the Central Electricity Authority is addressing the issue within the wind turbine sector.

A report suggested increasing the heat tolerance of wind turbines to at least 45 degrees Celsius. Currently, most wind turbines in India are built to function between 32 degrees Celsius to 40 degrees Celsius.

Northern regions have seen record-high temperatures this summer, causing peak power demand to soar to 250 GW on May 30, compared to 243 GW last September.

Solar panels will also need to be enhanced for higher temperature resistance, with both cells and modules requiring designs that can endure higher peak temperatures.

Sambitosh Mohapatra, a partner and leader in power and ESG at PwC India, said the equipment should be designed to operate in critical temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius and use insulation materials that maintain integrity under these conditions.

He said that the systems should monitor key parameters such as temperature, load, and vibration.

India aims to achieve 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.

Mohapatra said that to address high-temperature challenges, proper ventilation in substations and transformer yards is required.

The transmission equipment industry has adopted higher standards to manage these temperatures. “On the transmission side, the geographical temperatures are taken into consideration while designing equipment based on years of data,” the official said.

An official from the Power Grid Corporation of India said the utility’s infrastructure is well-equipped to operate efficiently in high-temperature conditions. “Advance preparations are made for the summer season when an increase in temperature generally results in increase in load,” the official said.

He further said that various proactive measures, such as frequent patrolling and the use of thermovision cameras, are implemented to identify any increase in temperature as part of several initiatives.