GE T&D India announced that it has been awarded a technology-driven grid modernization project by Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited (RRVPL) as part of the utility's roadmap to implement grid initiatives and augmenting renewable energy in the state, which will benefit the Rajasthan's population.

Smart Transmission Network and Asset Management System (STNAMS), RRVPL's state-of-the-art power transmission roadmap, was designed to integrate large-scale renewable energy and support managing existing and future power structure. A first by a state utility in India, the project investment totalling USO 21 million (INR 1500 million) demonstrates the need for efficient, stable and secured operation of the grid.

The total installed power capacity of Rajasthan is around 21.6 GW, out of which 34% comes from renewable sources. The state plans to further increase solar and wind generation capacity to 14.3 GW by 2022. To support this focus on renewable energy, the state requires remote monitoring and grid stability.

GE's Advanced Energy Management System (AEMS) will serve as a foundation for RRVPL's roadmap and enable the utility to alter production levels based on demand. Part of GE's Digital Energy portfolio, the software will provide real-time data acquisition and a decision support system that will help in visualization and situational awareness of the transmission grid. The data displayed at RRVPL's Smart Grid Command and Control Centre will help in monitoring the health of critical assets. The RRVPNL-STNAMS project will also include software features of National Transmission Asset Management Centre (NTAMC) & Unified Real-Time Dynamic State Measurement (URTDSM), both implemented by GE for Power Grid Corporation of India Limited and will strengthen monitoring of the entire grid system of Rajasthan.

The RRVPNL-STNAMS project will have 535 substations remotely connected to the three control centres: the main control centre in Jaipur, a back-up control centre in Jodhpur and an additional regional centre in Ajmer- which will help in remote visualization of power flow and asset health. GE's Advanced EMS will help integrate large-scale renewable energy, make available Wide Area Monitoring Systems to avoid the instability in the transmission system operation, identify major areas contributing to transmission losses and undertake remedial action to reduce transmission losses. Additionally, GE's grid software solution will also provide remote operations and control of the substations and network, enabling the existing technical workforce to focus on asset maintenance/management, grid monitoring and efficiency improvement-related work.