Siemens commissions India’s first HVDC power transmission link

18 Mar 2021 CW Staff

The company told the media that it has commissioned India's first HVDC link featuring VSC technology. The VSC technology has been brought to India for the first time by Powergrid through this project.

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd’s (PGCIL) 320 kV 2,000 MW Pugalur-Thrissur HVDC project through videoconferencing.

The Rs 5,070 crore Pugalur-Thrissur HVDC system is part of the Raigarh-Pugalur-Thrissur 6,000 MW HVDC system and enables the transfer of 2,000 MW to Kerala through the HVDC station at Madakkathara, Thrissur.

Siemens Ltd has developed the ±320 kV HVDC system in association with a consortium of Siemens Energy (Germany) and Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd, Japan. According to Siemens, it features for the first time the integration of HVDC XLPE cable with overhead lines in India.

Major HVDC equipment such as interface transformers and insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)-based power converters and other high and medium voltage AC equipment such as air-insulated switchgear, gas-insulated switchgear, control and relay panels, among others, have been supplied from Siemens Ltd's factories in India.

The VSC technology reduces land requirement significantly compared to conventional HVDC systems and is particularly suitable for Kerala, where land is scarce.

It also facilitates the development of a smart grid and improves system resilience under various operating conditions. A unique feature of this project is the combination of overhead line and underground conductor for transmission of power. PGCIL optimised the right of way (RoW) requirement through innovative tower design and cable use.

The electricity transmission system, consisting of two links between Pugalur in Tamil Nadu and Thrissur in Kerala, supports PGCIL to counter the power deficit in the southern region and improve the grid stability.

Image Source

Also read: Pugalur-Madakkathara power corridor is finally reaching completion

Global business conglomerate Siemens has commissioned a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) power transmission link having voltage-sourced converter (VSC) technology between Pugalur in Tamil Nadu and Thrissur in Kerala. The company told the media that it has commissioned India's first HVDC link featuring VSC technology. The VSC technology has been brought to India for the first time by Powergrid through this project. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd’s (PGCIL) 320 kV 2,000 MW Pugalur-Thrissur HVDC project through videoconferencing. The Rs 5,070 crore Pugalur-Thrissur HVDC system is part of the Raigarh-Pugalur-Thrissur 6,000 MW HVDC system and enables the transfer of 2,000 MW to Kerala through the HVDC station at Madakkathara, Thrissur. Siemens Ltd has developed the ±320 kV HVDC system in association with a consortium of Siemens Energy (Germany) and Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd, Japan. According to Siemens, it features for the first time the integration of HVDC XLPE cable with overhead lines in India. Major HVDC equipment such as interface transformers and insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)-based power converters and other high and medium voltage AC equipment such as air-insulated switchgear, gas-insulated switchgear, control and relay panels, among others, have been supplied from Siemens Ltd's factories in India. The VSC technology reduces land requirement significantly compared to conventional HVDC systems and is particularly suitable for Kerala, where land is scarce. It also facilitates the development of a smart grid and improves system resilience under various operating conditions. A unique feature of this project is the combination of overhead line and underground conductor for transmission of power. PGCIL optimised the right of way (RoW) requirement through innovative tower design and cable use. The electricity transmission system, consisting of two links between Pugalur in Tamil Nadu and Thrissur in Kerala, supports PGCIL to counter the power deficit in the southern region and improve the grid stability. Image Source Also read: Pugalur-Madakkathara power corridor is finally reaching completion

Infrastructure Urban

17 Sep 2025

DCPC Prepares for Special Campaign 5.0 with Focus on E-Waste

The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, is gearing up for Special Campaign 5.0, to be held from 2nd to 31st October 2025. The initiative will focus on e-waste disposal as per MoEFCC’s E-Waste Management Rules 2022, space optimisation, and enhancing workplace efficiency across field offices.Special Campaign 4.0, conducted between October 2023 and October 2024, delivered notable results in record management, grievance redressal, scrap disposal, and cleanliness drives.Key outcomes of Special Campaign 4.0Records management: 2,443 physical fil..

Real Estate

17 Sep 2025

BlackRock India Leases 1.4 Lakh Sq Ft in Bengaluru

BlackRock Services India, the domestic arm of global asset manager BlackRock, has leased 1.4 lakh sq ft of office space at IndiQube Symphony in Bengaluru, according to Propstack data. The 10-year deal is valued at around Rs 4.10 billion.The lease, among the largest transactions in India’s co-working sector, highlights the growing preference of global institutions for flexible office providers. The agreement, commencing October 1, 2025, covers ground plus five floors in KNG Tower 1 at Ashoknagar, MG Road — one of Bengaluru’s prime commercial hubs.As per the lease document, BlackRock will ..

Infrastructure Transport

17 Sep 2025

L&T Bags Rs 25–50 Bn Order for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Track Works

Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T) Transportation Infrastructure business has secured an order valued between Rs 25 crore and Rs 50 billion from the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor.The contract, Package T1, involves the design, supply, construction, testing, and commissioning of 156 route km of high-speed ballastless track on a Design-Build Lump Sum Price basis. The stretch runs from Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex to Zaroli village in Gujarat and includes 21 km of underground track and 135 km of elevated viaduct.Se..