Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid,Amendment, Regulations, 2019
The Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid) Regulations set mandatory technical requirements for all users, generating stations, transmission utilities, and bulk consumers connecting to the Indian electricity grid.
Additional Description: CEA Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid (Amendment) Regulations, 2019
The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid (Amendment) Regulations, 2019 amended the principal 2007 Regulations to strengthen grid reliability, operational control, and compliance requirements. The amendment expanded the scope of entities covered by the regulations and introduced technical provisions relevant to renewable energy generators, energy storage systems, hybrid projects, and other grid-connected facilities.
Key changes introduced in 2019 compared with the 2007 Regulations, as amended in 2013
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Expanded definitions and applicability: The amendment revised the definitions of “requester” and “user” to include energy storage systems, solar park developers, wind farm developers, wind-solar hybrid systems, and other specified entities connecting to the grid at 33 kV and above.
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Installed-capacity definition: A definition of installed capacity was introduced, with the method of calculation specified for conventional generating stations, wind generating stations, and generating stations using inverters.
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Active-power control: Generating stations with installed capacity exceeding 10 MW and connected at 33 kV and above were required to have facilities for controlling active-power injection according to setpoints that can be revised based on instructions from the State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC) or Regional Load Despatch Centre (RLDC), as applicable.
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Primary frequency response: The amendment specified requirements relating to governor or frequency-controller droop, frequency dead band, primary frequency response, and the operating range of frequency-response and regulation systems for applicable generating stations.
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Power ramp-rate control: Applicable generating stations were required to have facilities to control the rate of change of power output within the specified limits, supporting more controlled changes in generation.
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Remote active- and reactive-power control: Generating stations with aggregate capacity of 500 MW and above were required to have provision to receive SLDC or RLDC signals for varying active and reactive power output.
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Overvoltage ride-through: The amended standards specified conditions under which generating stations connected to the grid must remain connected during specified overvoltage conditions at the interconnection point.
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Short-circuit ratio: A minimum short-circuit ratio requirement of 5 at the proposed generating-resource interconnection point was introduced under the applicable provisions.
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Reactive-power compensation and power factor: Requirements were specified for distribution licensees and bulk consumers to provide adequate reactive compensation, with a power-factor requirement within ±0.95 under the amended provisions.
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Harmonic limits: The amendment linked applicable voltage-harmonic and current-harmonic requirements to IEEE 519-2014, including relevant provisions concerning measurement points and measurement methods.
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Cybersecurity: The amendment introduced a provision requiring requesters and users to comply with cybersecurity guidelines issued by the Central Government and the applicable technical standards for communication systems in the power sector.
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Registration and unique identification: Provisions were introduced for registration of specified generating units or generating stations in the registry maintained by CEA and for obtaining an online-generated Unique Registration Number, in accordance with the capacity and effective-date requirements specified by CEA.
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Connectivity compliance: Provisions were introduced to reinforce compliance with the applicable connectivity requirements before a facility is connected to the grid.
Significance for renewable energy projects
The 2019 amendment is particularly relevant to grid integration of solar, wind, and hybrid generating stations. Its provisions address controllability of generation, frequency response, disturbance ride-through, reactive-power management, harmonic performance, and connectivity compliance.
For renewable energy developers and grid-integration consultants, project assessment may involve verifying plant capacity and connectivity details, reviewing active- and reactive-power control capabilities, evaluating power-quality performance, conducting load-flow and short-circuit studies, assessing dynamic performance, validating simulation models, and coordinating compliance documentation with the relevant transmission utility and system operator.
The 2019 amendment must be read together with the principal 2007 Regulations, the 2013 amendment, and subsequent applicable amendments and regulations when determining the requirements for a specific project.
Official reference: Central Electricity Authority, Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid (Amendment) Regulations, 2019, notified on 6 February 2019.
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