Black start experience for gas based power plant in Indian grid

Crisis Management Plans are important for enhancing the resilience of the bulk electric power supply system. Fast restoration from a partial/total blackout can reduce the economic loss and customer discomfort from power supply interruptions. Black start mock drills are essential for testing the equipment capabilities in restorative mode. They are also an opportunity for operators in Generating Station, Substation, and Grid Control Room to gain first-hand experience of System Restoration. In India, several hydro and Gas units are equipped with black start capabilities. This paper shares the experience of the maiden black start mock drill conducted at a Gas based power station connected at 220 kV level Western Regional Grid in India. It involved black start of a unit, charging of a dead bus, charging a 220 kV line, building up a subsystem with load, operating in islanded mode and finally synchronizing with the grid. Lessons learnt from the success of this exercise paved way for testing of black start capabilities at other Gas Power Stations in Western Region.