Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL), in consortium with Hitachi Energy India, has secured a major contract from Rajasthan Part I Power Transmission, a wholly owned subsidiary of Adani Energy Solutions (AESL). The contract involves the design and execution of a 6,000 MW, 800 kV bi-pole and bi-directional High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission system. This system will facilitate the transfer of renewable energy from Bhadla in Rajasthan to Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh, a key industrial and transport hub.

Scheduled for completion by 2029, the HVDC link is a vital step in India's efforts to achieve 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. The advanced HVDC system will ensure grid stability and enable efficient bi-directional power flow, essential for integrating large volumes of renewable energy into the national grid.

This marks the fourth Ultra High Voltage Direct Current (UHVDC) transmission project awarded to BHEL. The company has previously completed the North-East Agra and Raigarh-Pugalur HVDC links, each with a capacity of +800 kV, 6,000 MW. It is also currently working on the Khavda-Nagpur HVDC project in collaboration with Hitachi Energy India.

For this new project, BHEL will manufacture and supply critical components including Converter Transformers, Shunt Reactors, Filter Bank Capacitors, MV Switchgear, and Instrument Transformers from its Bhopal plant, along with Thyristor Valves from its Bengaluru-based Electronics Division. These valves will convert alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) for transmission over a 950 km HVDC line, and then back to AC at Fatehpur for distribution. Additionally, BHEL's Transmission Business Group will be responsible for designing and installing the 765 kV/400 kV power evacuation system at Fatehpur and a 400 kV AC substation at Bhadla and Bhadla Extension.

BHEL has a long-standing role in the development of HVDC infrastructure in India, having been involved in major projects such as Rihand-Dadri, Chandrapur-Padghe, Ballia-Bhiwadi, and others.

News source: Business Standard