Ballia - Bhiwadi

The Ballia-Bhiwadi HVDC project is a HVDC transmission system in India, connecting the eastern and northern regions of the country. This ±500 kV, 2500 MW HVDC link transmits energy from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh to Bhiwadi in Rajasthan, covering a distance of approximately 780-803 km.

Project Overview

The project was implemented by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (POWERGRID) under the World Bank PSDP-III initiative. It aims to transfer power from the Ballia pooling station, which collects energy from various upcoming generation projects in the Eastern Region, to meet the deficit in other regions, particularly the Northern region.

The main beneficiaries of this project include Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, and Rajasthan. The total cost of the project was estimated at US$ 698.08 million, including Interest During Construction (IDC).

Technical Specifications

The Ballia-Bhiwadi HVDC system consists of two poles, rated at 2500 MW. Pole 1 was commissioned on March 31, 2010, while Pole 2 followed on March 1, 2011. The system operates at a DC voltage of ±500 kV and an AC voltage of 400 kV.

The project includes two HVDC terminals: Ballia Converter Station in Uttar Pradesh, located approximately 75 km from Ballia District Head Quarter and Bhiwadi Converter Station in Rajasthan, situated about 60 km from Delhi.

Each converter station is equipped with eight converter transformers, each rated at 498 MVA. The system also incorporates 250 mH dry air-core type smoothing reactors per pole to avoid resonances at low-order harmonics and limit transient overcurrents.

Advanced Technologies

The Ballia-Bhiwadi project was the first HVDC project in India to use state-of-the-art direct light-triggered thyristors (LTT) with integrated overvoltage protection. This technology eliminates the need for electronic logic at high potential, resulting in high reliability and compact, economical thyristor valves with minimal maintenance requirements.

The thyristor valves are arranged in three twin towers for one pole. Each twin tower represents one quadri-valve, comprising four valves connected to the same AC phase. A valve consists of two and a half modular units, with each modular unit including two valve sections connected in series. Each valve section comprises 15 thyristor levels, resulting in a total of 75 thyristors connected in series per valve.

Control and Communication

The project utilizes advanced control and communication systems. IPCOMM delivered ipConv gateways to link the TDC control systems with the master stations. Both Ballia and Bhiwadi HVDC converter stations are connected to the master station using the IEC 60870-5-101 protocol. The communication between the gateways and master stations is redundant, ensuring reliable operation.

Environmental Considerations

POWERGRID conducted an Initial Environment Examination to assess and mitigate potential environmental impacts of the project. The report outlines various measures to be implemented during the design, construction, and maintenance stages to minimize adverse effects on the environment.

The Ballia-Bhiwadi HVDC project employs cutting-edge technologies to efficiently transfer large amounts of power over long distances and address the growing energy demands of the country's northern region.