Power utilities across the country have geared up themselves to ensure reliable and secure grid operation during the 9-minute possible blackout challenge on Sunday.
VK Gupta, a spokesperson of the All-India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF), said that the Federation took the issue of possible load crash at the highest level on March 3 and wrote a letter to Prime Minister and Ministry of Power raising their concerns arising out of sudden switching off of all lights and by giving professional advice.
Following this, meetings in all the states took place to devise a strategy to prevent the April 5 event from creating ground for a possible grid collapse.
Power System Operation Corporation Limited (POSOCO) today issued an advisory for reliable and secure system operation during the lighting, load switch off on April 5 for nine minutes.
POSOCO anticipates that there will be a total domestic lighting load reduction of 13000 MW across the country. In the northern region, it will be around 3500 MW.

In Punjab and Haryana, there will load a reduction of 200 MW each and this is not a major load crash. Under such circumstances, there will be no effect on the grid in Punjab and Haryana.
Hydropower generation from Ranjit Sagar and Bhakra Dam will be reduced and conserved for providing flexibility during 9 PM event and to avoid sudden load crash. The power engineers are always prepared to perform under any difficult situations and are working round the clock to provide uninterrupted supply.

Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) requested all domestic consumers to switch off only residential lights and keep other domestic gadgets on.

The spokesman said that due to lockdown the load of Punjab will be only 2800-2900 MW at 9 PM and it is expected to decrease by 400 MW or so. It is not a high drop. Presently only hydel plants are running in Punjab and their response is much faster than thermals etc.

The PSPCL has sufficient sources to handle this dip and regain of demand through Ranjit Sagar Dam and other hydro plants. He added that further action shall be taken as per national plan. The PSPCL has appealed to the consumers not to worry about any power failure