In the works: PLI scheme for power transmission

This comes against the backdrop of India’s attempt to curb the use of Chinese power tools, in the wake of cyberattacks on its grid, including by Red Echo, a Chinese state-sponsored group.

Although these efforts were thwarted, but if successful, such efforts could lead to blackouts, affecting services such as water supply, telecommunications infrastructure, hospitals, airports and metro rail networks.

The government has already imposed pre-approval requirements for imports from countries with which it is in conflict.

“Work is underway on a PLI plan for power transmission and distribution equipment,” one of the two officials cited above, requesting anonymity, said.

India has launched PLI schemes for 14 sectors with a total outlay of 2 trillion. it contains a 24,000 crore PLI scheme allocation for local manufacturing of solar photovoltaic modules.

In view of the growing power requirements of the Indian economy, the transmission and distribution equipment also needs to keep pace with the generation side. According to the Central Electricity Authority, the country’s electricity requirement will be 817 gigawatts (GW) by 2030. This will result in new orders, India’s current intra-regional transmission capacity set to increase by 112GW and an additional 8 trillion investment required in transmission sector by 2031-32. also a 3.03 trillion reforms-based outcome-linked power distribution sector scheme to be implemented by 2025-26.

Questions emailed Thursday to spokespersons for the ministries of power and commerce and industry remained unanswered till press time.

Earlier this year the Union Budget announced a scheme under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package to set up three manufacturing sectors for power and renewable energy equipment critical in generation, distribution and transmission. India is also focusing on building self-reliance in emerging technologies and promoting domestic production of critical equipment such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), transformers and batteries. The plan is to set up SCADA system in all urban areas and distribution management system in 100 urban centres.

The growing threat of cyberattacks on India’s power grid has also prompted the government to consider setting up a specialized computer security incident response team to thwart any attempts to cripple critical power infrastructure. As Mint reported earlier. The special team will be formed to prevent any threat from hackers and it will be placed under the country’s apex power sector planning body, Central Electricity Authority of India, in which officers with computer science and information technology background will be given the Joint Engineering Services Examination. Recruitment will be done through Organized by Union Public Service Commission.

The state-run POSOCO National Load Despatch Center oversees the grid through five Regional Load Despatch Centers and 34 State Load Despatch Centers. The grid continues to be under attack, with at least 30 incidents reported daily, as Mint previously reported. Most originate from China, Singapore, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Some of the high-profile cyber attacks on India’s power sector include the state-run Nuclear Power Corp of India Limited’s Kudankulam nuclear power plant, THDC Limited’s Tehri Dam, West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited and Rajasthan and Haryana discoms.

The National Center for Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure oversees India’s cyber security operations in critical areas, and the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) coordinates efforts on cyber security issues. The Union Power Ministry on its part has constituted six Computer Emergency Response Teams for grid operations, thermal, hydropower, power distribution, transmission and renewable energy. India also has a National Cyber ​​Coordination Centre.