TGNPDCL Installs 392 Capacitor Banks to Boost Voltage for Farmers

The Telangana State Northern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGNPDCL) has initiated the installation of capacitor banks and voltage boosters across its network to improve voltage levels and reduce power losses in agricultural areas, Chairman and Managing Director Karnati Varun Reddy announced in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

The northern discom currently manages around 14 lakh agricultural pump sets. Officials noted that these agricultural motors create a high inductive load on rural power feeders, causing the power factor to decline. This drop leads to increased current flow and low-voltage problems across rural lines.

To resolve these technical issues, TGNPDCL installed 303 capacitor banks of 2 MVAR capacity and 89 capacitor banks of 1 MVAR capacity at 33/11 kV substations over the last two-and-a-half years. These capacitor banks were placed at substations and 11 kV feeders to locally compensate for the reactive power demand caused by agricultural motors.

Varun Reddy stated that the installation of these 392 capacitor banks has provided significant relief to the capacity of Power Transformers (PTRs). By doing so, the discom avoided the immediate requirement of installing 66 additional power transformers at several locations, resulting in an estimated saving of around ₹21 crore.

Furthermore, the capacitor banks on 11 kV feeders contributed significantly to cutting down technical power losses. According to Varun Reddy, this initiative resulted in an estimated reduction of technical losses worth approximately ₹82 crore, making a positive contribution toward improving the distribution network's overall efficiency.

In forest terrain and remote locations with long-distance power lines, establishing a new substation for every low-voltage problem is not always technically or practically feasible. To address voltage issues in such geographically challenging areas, TGNPDCL installed a total of eight voltage boosters in remote areas within Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Bhadradri Kothagudem, and Mancherial districts.

The CMD stated that special attention is being given to preventing low-voltage problems on agricultural feeders. The combined use of capacitor banks and voltage boosters helps ensure a stable, quality power supply to the farming community and other consumers while strengthening the tail ends of long feeders.