CEA issues advisory to DISCOMs to reduce summer load shedding
The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has issued a comprehensive advisory to power distribution utilities across the country, outlining measures to minimise load shedding and improve the reliability of electricity supply during periods of peak demand.
The advisory on “Summer Preparedness and Distribution System Reliability Measures” follows observations that much of the load shedding during summer is caused by distribution network constraints rather than power generation shortages. It recommends immediate measures to be implemented within one year, as well as medium-term actions over one to three years.
Distribution challenges identified
According to the CEA, summer outages are largely driven by overloaded distribution transformers (DTs), 11 kV and 33 kV feeders, inadequate transformer capacity, overloaded low-tension (LT) networks, voltage drop issues and ageing equipment.
The advisory also identifies planning deficiencies such as underestimation of demand growth, delays in network augmentation, inadequate load forecasting and failure to update contract demand for consumers adding large loads such as air conditioners.
Operational and maintenance shortcomings, including inadequate preventive maintenance, delayed replacement of failed equipment, poor inventory management and the absence of effective outage management systems, have also been identified as major contributors to supply disruptions.
Key recommendations
The CEA has advised distribution companies (DISCOMs) to carry out annual assessments of connected and coincident loads at 33 kV substations and DT levels, with particular focus on rising demand from air-conditioning, new residential townships, commercial complexes, electric vehicle charging stations and industrial expansion. Utilities have also been advised to use smart meter data to improve demand forecasting.
The advisory recommends that every DISCOM complete a Summer Preparedness Review by February each year. The review should identify assets operating above 80% loading for DTs and feeders, above 75% loading for power transformers, and areas experiencing persistent low voltage so that corrective measures can be taken before the peak summer season.
The CEA has also called for annual preventive maintenance of 33 kV substations, 11 kV feeders, DTs and LT networks before summer begins, stating that critical maintenance should not be deferred during the season except in exceptional circumstances.
To improve restoration times, urban distribution circles have been advised to maintain mobile distribution transformers and transformer trolleys. The advisory also recommends establishing dedicated Emergency Response Teams equipped with trained personnel, vehicles, tools and adequate inventories of critical spare parts.
DISCOMs have been asked to establish Outage Management Systems (OMS) integrated with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and consumer complaint platforms for faster fault detection and restoration.
The advisory also recommends demand-side management measures such as voluntary demand response programmes for commercial consumers, wider implementation of Time-of-Day tariffs and promotion of energy-efficient appliances, including star-rated air conditioners and efficient fans.
For reliability monitoring, utilities have been advised to regularly track SAIDI, SAIFI, CAIDI, DT failure rates, feeder failure rates and substation outages, and prepare improvement plans based on these indicators.
The CEA has further directed DISCOMs to ensure that 24×7 consumer grievance mechanisms, including toll-free helplines, call centres, mobile applications and web portals, remain operational throughout the summer. It has also recommended setting up dedicated Summer Control Rooms at circle and zone levels for real-time monitoring and coordination.
Medium-term measures
For the medium term, the CEA has recommended institutionalising load flow studies, short-circuit studies, reliability assessments and hosting capacity studies. It has advised utilities to plan new substations where transformer loading exceeds 70-75%, while considering demand growth over at least the next five years.
The advisory also recommends accelerated deployment of smart meters, SCADA and Distribution Management System (DMS)/Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) platforms to strengthen network monitoring and operational efficiency.
According to the CEA, most summer load shedding can be avoided if utilities identify assets exceeding 80% loading at least six months in advance and undertake timely augmentation and maintenance. The advisory emphasises a shift from reactive fault rectification to predictive planning supported by feeder metering, DT metering, GIS mapping, OMS and scientific distribution planning.
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