Economic Times reported that state run Power Grid Corp plans to deploy helicopters for aerial patrolling of electricity transmission lines, a move aimed at checking their safety and security in the eventuality of natural disasters or sabotages.

The plan has been under consideration for quite sometime. The failure of power grids for two straight days last month impacted more than half of country's population.

Power Grid runs the five electricity grids in the country Northern, Eastern, North Eastern, Southern and Western.

In its 2011-12 annual report, the company has said that it has state-of-the-art Emergency Restoration Systems at strategic locations for restoration of collapsed transmission line towers in case of eventualities such as earthquake, fire, cyclone, landslides and sabotage.

The report said that "Some potent options are also being explored like use of robotic technology for condition monitoring of conductor, earthwire and hardwares besides aerial patrolling of transmission lines using helicopters.”

According to the company, the complexities involved in operating grids are escalating especially with expanding transmission network.

Power Grid Chairman and Managing Director Mr R N Nayak, in the annual report, has said that Indian power grid had not experienced any major grid disturbance during the past nine years till the major disturbances on July 30 and July 31.

The Northern, Eastern and North Eastern grids tripped on July 31, less than 24 hours after the Northern grid failed and was restored.

On the failures, Mr Nayak noted that the essential loads were restored "at the fastest pace within few hours of the incidents and power supply was restored progressively and normalised completely on the same day of the incident(s)".

Source - Economic Times

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