ABB Connects Indian Grid with Largest Solar Plants

Five substations to link a new 648-megawatt solar project, which will account for about 10 percent of India’s solar power, to the national grid.

ABB has successfully commissioned five substations to integrate a 648-megawatt (MW) solar project at Kamuthi  in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu to the national transmission grid. The project was awarded by independent power producer (IPP) Adani Group in 2015, and completed on schedule. The solar photovoltaic project – made up of five plants in a single location – is the largest of its kind in the world. 360 MW from the solar project is currently grid-connected and at full capacity this facility will account for nearly 10 percent of the country’s current solar capacity of around seven gigawatts (GW).

The project contributes to India’s vision of achieving 100 GW of solar power by 2022, with the overall aim of diversifying its energy mix to meet growing demand while minimizing environmental impact. As part of this plan, the government has issued a proposal to implement 25 ultra-mega solar power projects with capacities between 500 and 1,000 MW over a period of five years.

The government of Tamil Nadu is also pursuing a solar policy which envisages a solar generation capacity addition of 3,000 MW.
“We are proud to support the country’s clean energy vision and push for solar power which demonstrates its commitment to sustainable growth,” said Claudio Facchin, President of ABB’s Power Grids division. “This project exemplifies our end-to-end power and automation system integration capabilities and reinforces our commitment to the renewable energy sector, a key component of ABB’s Next Level strategy.”

ABB’s project scope included the design, supply, installation and commissioning related to the solar plant electrification and automation systems. This includes two 230 kilovolt (kV) and three 110 kV outdoor switchyards to connect to the local transmission grid and will enable clean power supply for around 150000 households based on average national per capita consumption.