Tata Power-DDL installs submersible power substation

The newly installed substation can function under-water and can withstand extreme climatic conditions.

Tata Power DDL has installed an innovative submersible power substation in Gujranwala Town, New Delhi to augment the power infrastructure of its operational area. This is a first-of-its-kind submersible distribution transformer installed by a utility in the country. 

The company has installed the 630KVA submersible transformer under the parking space of its substation building in collaboration with Toshiba Transmission & Distribution Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd.

The setup will help in providing continuous and reliable power to key consumers during exigency, including consumers providing essential services.

The inauguration of the submersible substation was done by Dr. A K Ambasht, Member, Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) in the presence of Ganesh Srinivasan, CEO, Tata Power-DDL and other senior officials of the company.

The transformer is equipped with temperature and pressure sensors for monitoring and planning maintenance activities. The equipment is suitable for water submersion duty. Smart meter with Digital Input/Output have been installed for monitoring the load and raising alerts in case of an issue. The 11kV supply for the transformer is fed through the Ring Main Unit having a special relay which controls the switching and automatic tripping under abnormal network conditions. All this along with the robust technology make it low maintenance and capable of withstanding extreme weather conditions.

Speaking on the installation, Ganesh Srinivasan, CEO, Tata Power-DDL said, “As a utility of the future, we are constantly focussed at innovating and becoming future ready. This utility installation of submersible power stations will not only further strengthen our network but also ensure reliable power supply to our consumers at all times. This initiative is in line with our mission to set new benchmarks in the power distribution space by delivering change.”

Focussing on innovation, this technology has been fully developed in India after thorough research on the standards used by global benchmarks. It can function upon complete submersion under water and is particularly useful in today’s time when metro cities are facing steep load growth and space crunch due to urbanisation.

This transformer can be easily installed under the multilane main roads, service roads, public parks, building parking, basements and public parking places. Hence it is virtual zero space installation, as the top surface can be used for general purpose applications like walkways, roads, parks etc.

Load growth in a city like Delhi is almost a vertical curve and there is space crunch for installation of new substations. During such times, the supply is affected and electrical equipment gets damaged due to water ingress, hence restoration of power supply takes longer time. A submersible duty transformer would be an ideal solution for these emergency situations for a reliable network and will also prove beneficial in coastal areas where storm, flood etc. disrupt the power supply.