Delhi Metro seeks inclusion in 'islanding' scheme to safeguard operations in case of grid failure

New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is making efforts to be included in the 'islanding' scheme of the Delhi government agency DTL to safeguard its operations in case of power grid failure, officials said on Monday.

In the power sector, 'islanding' refers to a safety mechanism that allows a part of the affected power grid to continue to supply electricity to critical establishments.

The DMRC is not included in Delhi Transco Limited's (DTL's) revised 'Islanding' Scheme, 2023, despite the metro being considered a lifeline for the city, with 5 lakh commuters availing it during peak hours.

In a recent meeting of the Operation Coordination Committee (OCC), the DMRC made a fresh bid to be included in the scheme.

"The DMRC requested DTL to revise the Islanding Scheme, 2023, to incorporate provisions for uninterrupted power supply to DMRC substations, thereby ensuring operational continuity during grid disturbances or failures," said an official document.

The State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC), Delhi, said that the 765 kV Narela sub-station is currently under commissioning and expected to be energised by August 2025.

It was agreed in the meeting that the Islanding Scheme needs to be reviewed accordingly, the officials said.

The SLDC, however, pointed out that the traction load of DRMC is "highly variable", leading to peak loads occurring at different intervals. This variability poses a challenge to the stability and sustainability of the scheme, officials said.

The DMRC was advised in the meeting to confirm whether traction load has been considered in the islanding schemes of any other state. Further, it was asked to explore and analyse alternative backup power solutions to ensure operational resilience in the event of grid failure, they said.

The OCC also directed a detailed study on the revised 'islanding' scenario after energisation of the Narela sub-station.

The DMRC was urged to propose a feasible solution to manage its varying traction load to enable its integration into the islanding scheme without compromising system stability, officials added. PTI VIT VIT NSD NSD