Critical Solution to Power Grid Problems Using Smart Grid –A Case Study on Karnataka Power Transmission Control Limited (KPTCL)

Abstract

Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) is a power distribution and transportation company in Karnataka state established in the year of 1999 under the company act 1956. Now it is one of the big government sector company owned by government of Karnataka with 1000 cores of share capital. Karnataka Electric Board (KEB) is the parent body of KPTCL, until 2002 KEB did all the functions such as distribution and transmission of electric power throughout the state. After that it was divided in to distribution and Transmission Company called KPTCL and power generating company known as Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL). The ultimate goal of KPTCL is to provide uninterrupted power supply to all customers in state of Karnataka with minimum distribution and transmission cost and lowest unit price. KPTCL purchases power from KPCL for fixed rate under the Karnataka regulation act. KPCL contains several power generation projects which include different types such as hydraulic power, thermal power, wind power, etc. KPTCL also purchases power from power stations such as National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Atomic power stations like Kalpakkam and Kaiga which is owned by central government. Power generation is not a big deal for any state government but real challenge is to transmission of uninterrupted power and distribution of power to different parts of the state using power grid. So there should be proper data analysis in the entire grid and all transmission station throughout the state in order to identify the loop holes, actual capacity, requirement, request from consumers, and also to identify any damages. The ultimate solution for all this is introduction of smart grid concept in power grid. In this paper I reviewed about operational and technical structure of the KPTCL and factors to be considered while performing data analytics in power grid and adoption of smart grid concept over traditional grid using SCADA technology to perform data analytics and finally listed out some improvements in overall functioning of KPTCL after implementation of smart grid.