State-owned engineering firm BHEL on Friday said it has played a key role in the successful implementation of ultra-high voltage direct current (UHVDC) link between the western and southern region grid.

“Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has added another feather in its cap by playing a key role in the successful implementation of the +800 kV, 6,000 MW Ultra High Voltage Direct Current (UHVDC) Link between the Western Region Grid (Raigarh, Chattisgarh) and the Southern Region Grid (Pugalur, Tamil Nadu),” a company statement said.

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According to the statement, the project will bring relief to the power deficit southern grid. For this project, among other equipment and systems, BHEL has significantly contributed by supplying converter transformers, shunt reactors, filter bank capacitors and instrument transformers from its Bhopal Plant; and thyristor valves from its Electronics Division, Bengaluru.

These thyristor valves are used to convert AC power generated at the IPPs at Raigarh into DC power for transmitting it over an HVDC transmission line of over 1,800 kms, and then converting it back into AC at the Pugalur end for interconnection with the southern grid.

BHEL, in partnership with Hitachi-ABB Power Grids Limited, had secured this landmark order from Power Grid Corporation of India Limited in 2016.

Significantly, this is the second ultra-high voltage direct current (UHVDC) transmission project by BHEL. Prior to this, it had successfully executed, the first of its kind in the world, Agra Converter Terminal for North-East Agra +800 kV, 6000 MW, Multi-Terminal HVDC link in September-2016 (Bipole-1) and September-2017 (Bipole-2).

BHEL has been associated with HVDC projects in India since their inception by establishing the first HVDC link in the country between Barsoor (Chhattisgarh) and Lower Sileru (Andhra Pradesh).

Subsequently, the firm was involved in the successful execution of several HVDC links, like Rihand-Dadri, Chandrapur-Padghe and Ballia-Bhiwadi links.

It has established the manufacturing facilities for HVDC products up to 800 kV and undertakes turnkey projects from concept to commissioning as an EPC contractor for EHV substations, HVDC converter stations and FACTS solutions backed by Power System Studies.