Innovative smart solution for enhancing reliability of Power Supply to Mumbai Metropolis using Gas Insulated technology

In a rapidly developing metropolitan city like Mumbai, land is scarce and if available, at very high premium which requires innovative solutions to expand/renovate existing substations to meet the increasing power demand economically with high reliability. This poses various challenges for the utility in terms of improving reliability and availability of the network, reducing life-cycle costs, reducing the losses and most importantly enhancing the safety and use of eco-friendly technologies. Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) technology demonstrates that it is the only solution for achieving the highest availability, compactness and reliability. Tata Power installed India's first 245 kV & 145 kV GIS in 1988 in Mumbai and has experience operating more than 650 bay-years of 245 kV GIS and 300 bay-years of 145 kV GIS to date. This paper describes the problems faced by Tata Power during the initial phases of commissioning of the GIS and corrective actions taken for improving the overall design. It also describes non-conventional approaches adopted by Tata Power in renovating / expanding the existing substations.