India’s first electricity substation: a historic milestone achieved in 1899

In 1899, India established its first electricity substation in Calcutta, revolutionising its power sector.

India’s first electricity substation was established in 1899 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), West Bengal. The substation was set up by the Indian Electric Company, founded by British engineer John Fleming in 1897 and later taken over by the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC), now one of the oldest and largest power companies in India.

Transforming high voltage to low voltage
The substation was designed to convert high-voltage electricity generated by a hydroelectric power plant in Darjeeling into low-voltage electricity that could be distributed to homes and businesses in the city. It was equipped with transformers that lowered the voltage from 10,000 to 400 volts, which was the standard voltage used for distribution at the time.

Revolutionising the city
The establishment of the substation played a pivotal role in the city’s development, which had a population of over 1 million at the time. Before the substation, the city was primarily lit by gas lamps, which were expensive and unreliable. The availability of cheap and reliable electricity revolutionised the city, enabling new industries to develop and improve the quality of life for its residents.

Inspiring similar facilities in other cities
The success of the Calcutta substation inspired the establishment of similar facilities in other cities across India. By the 1920s, several cities in India had established their electricity systems, which were interconnected through a national grid. Today, India has one of the largest power systems in the world, with a total installed capacity of over 380 GW as of 2021.

Harnessing the energy of the Teesta River
The hydroelectric power plant that supplied electricity to the Calcutta substation was located on the Teesta River in Darjeeling, then a part of British India. The power plant had a capacity of 130 kW and generated electricity by harnessing the energy of the Teesta River.

Establishing a national grid
The establishment of the Calcutta substation marked a significant milestone in the history of India’s power sector, as it demonstrated the feasibility of large-scale electricity generation and distribution. The success of the substation inspired the establishment of several other power plants and substations across India, leading to the development of a national grid that interconnected various regions of the country.

Coal-dominated power sector, but shifting to renewables
Today, India’s power sector is one of the largest and most complex in the world, with a total installed capacity of over 380 GW as of 2021. The sector is dominated by coal-fired power plants, which account for over 70 percent of the country’s electricity generation. However, the government has set ambitious targets to increase the share of renewable energy in the country’s energy mix, to achieve 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022.