New Delhi, May 26, 2006

Press Release

Delhi CM Smt Sheila Dikshit unveils BSES’ state-of-the-art SCADA:

To reduce fault restoration time by over 60 percent

• BSES makes Delhi join the league of global cities like Singapore, Hong Kong and Stockholm where SCADA has been successfully deployed
• Adoption of a first-of-its-kind technology in India by BSES
• SCADA cost is estimated at Rs 153 crores
• SCADA will remote monitor the health of BSES’ distribution system in real time
• All 117 Grid Stations will be remote controlled by SCADA
• Integrated Outage Management System running on GIS will help identify affected areas on the map
• It will lead to faster identification-isolation and restoration of faults
• Fault restoration time will reduce by over 60 percent – from an average of 110 minutes at present to less than 45 minutes
• Part of BSES’ efforts to automate the total process of electricity management – to bring about an integration of SCADA-GIS–DMS and SAP Operations
• SCADA will also incorporate latest Disaster Management practices

The much awaited and state-of-that-art Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system was inaugurated today, in a simple but impressive ceremony by Smt Sheila Dikshit, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi. Those present on the occasion included Shri Haroon Yusuf, Hon’ble Minister for Power and Transport, Prof Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Shri Subhash Chopra, Member of the Legislative Assembly, Delhi, MCD Councilors Shri Khavinder Singh Captain and Varinder Kasana, senior government and BSES officials. 

Complementing BSES on introducing SCADA, Smt Sheila Dikshit, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi said “I am delighted. Delhi is going world class. By adopting this advanced technology; Delhi has finally joined the league of global cities like Singapore, Hong Kong and Stockholm .I sincerely hope that SCADA will bring about visible improvements in power distribution and reduce the incidence of outages. We are all committed to ensure Delhi tops the list of great cities by providing unparallel public services to its residents”

The SCADA System – estimated to cost around Rs 153 crore– will change the face of power distribution in BSES’ licensed area and benefit all its 23 lakh customers. The SCADA Control Centre, situated at Balaji Estate in South Delhi’s Kalkaji area and resembling a futuristic space centre with massive screens measuring 5.6 meters x 2.2 meters, and an intricate web of computer desks will monitor power distribution system and supply on a real time basis in BSES’ licensed areas. Any abnormalities in the system will be immediately flagged and corrective action taken.

Operations of all the 117 Grid Stations in BSES’ licensed area would now be remote controlled through the SCADA control centre. Of the 117 Grid Stations, over 60 are already online. The remaining grid stations will also come in the SCADA fold over the next few months.  While the first phase of SCADA will cover all the 66/33 kV Grid Stations, the second phase, will cover the 11 kV Distribution Network comprising of 11kV transformers, feeders, lines etc. “The communication between the Grid Station and Control Centre is being established and optic fibre network with ring loop formation will ensure online connectivity at all times” said a BSES official.

 When fully implemented, SCADA will lead to a host of benefits including:

“When fully implemented, SCADA will drastically reduce the total fault restoration time – from  an average of 110 minutes at present to less 45 than  minutes (a reduction of over 60 percent)., said a BSES official.

“BSES’ customers can now experience the services, they have so far only dreamt of. SCADA is a giant leap in our efforts to automate the total process of electricity management. When fully implemented, the system will integrate SCADA-GIS –DMS and SAP Operations. This will lead to a quantum leap in operational efficiencies.” said Lalit Jalan, CEO BRPL

“The integrated outage management system, running over Geographical Information System (GIS) will help identify affected areas on geographical map and will facilitate the maintenance crew with route maps, network details for faster response time” said Arun Kanchan, CEO BYPL.

To ensure that BSES’ paying customers continue to get uninterrupted power supply even in the wake of unforeseeable disasters and calamities, BSES has adopted international Disaster Management practices. For the purpose, two Control Centres have been planned – one at Balaji (already functional) which will act as the Master Control Centre (MCC) and a Backup Control Centre (BCC) is being planned at a different geographical location. Fibre Optical Communication Network between the MCC and BCC will ensure that both remain connected, synchronised and updated in real time.

SCADA is one of the most advanced technologies for power distribution available anywhere in the world today. For its implementation, BSES has worked round the clock with some of the best names in the business including:

• ABB (Sweden) - for basic SCADA technology and primary equipment adaptation
• Barco Control System (Belgium)  - for large video screens
• Honeywell Automation - for primary equipment adaptation
• Reliance Infocomm - for Fibre Optic Communication
• HECL - for back up communication system using V-Sat Communication

According to a BSES spokesperson “The adoption of this first-of-its-kind technology in India by BSES, not only adds a futuristic dimension in the field of electricity distribution but also ensures that its consumers live a world class experience”. To a customer, it means a remarkable reduction of downtimes, (as already stated), a better voltage profile at consumer homes (by virtue of the Voltage and Reactive Power Control Modules), more accurate feedback from the integrated IVRS/ Customer Complaint System about downtimes and restoration, added the spokesperson.

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