PM Modi’s ‘9 pm-9 mins’ appeal: Will India’s electric grid be in trouble?
National grid potentially collapse?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has requested Indians to turn off their lights at 9 PM on April 5, and light a candle or a lamp to dispel the darkness spread by coronavirus and show a collective resolve to defeat the disease. While the symbolic action to ward off Covid-19’s darkness is laudable, there are concerns about the national grid potentially collapsing.
The electric grid
According to a report by PTI, Power System Operation Corp Ltd – the agency responsible for managing the grid – has mapped all India lighting load and estimated loss of power demand at 12-13 gigawatts (out of a total consumption of 125-126 GW). This is an unprecedented action and will need careful handling through hydro and gas resources.
Unlike normal operation, this reduction in load of 12-13 GW would happen in 2-4 minutes and recover nine minutes later — within 2-4 minutes. This sharp reduction in load and recovery, which is unprecedented, will need to be handled through hydro and gas resources.
