Mission:

Ensure Integrated Operation of Regional and National Power Systems to facilitate transfer of electric power within and across the regions and trans-national exchange of power with Reliability, Security and Economy.

Objectives:

The Corporation has set the following objectives in line with its Mission for integrated operation of regional and national power system through “National Load Despatch Centre and Regional Load Despatch Centres” to discharge the following functions:

A. Functions of POSOCO (Ministry of Power directive vide letter no. 41/20/2005- PG dated 4th July, 2008)

• To supervise and control all aspect concerning operations and manpower requirement of RLDCs and NLDC. All the employees and executives working with RLDCs and NLDC will be from the cadre of POSOCO. Presently POSOCO is a wholly owned subsidiary of POWERGRID. All the employees will be from the cadre of POWERGRID.
• To act as the apex organisation for human resources requirement of NLDC and RLDCs.
• To ensure planning and implementation of infrastructure required for smooth operation and development of NLDC and RLDCs.
• To coordinate the functioning of NLDC and all the RLDCs.
• To advise and assist state level Load Despatch Centres, including specialised training etc.
• To perform any other function entrusted to it by the Ministry of Power.

B. Functions of NLDC (Ministry of Power notification dated 2nd March, 2005)

• Supervision over the Regional Load Despatch Centres;
• Scheduling and despatch of electricity over inter-regional links in accordance with grid standards specified by the Authority and grid code specified by Central Commission in coordination with Regional Load Despatch Centres;
• Coordination with Regional Load Despatch Centres for achieving maximum economy and efficiency in the operation of National Grid;
• Monitoring of operations and grid security of the National Grid;
• Supervision and control over the inter-regional links as may be required for ensuring stability of the power system under its control;
• Coordination with Regional Power Committees for regional outage schedule in the national perspective to ensure optimal utilization of power resources;
• Coordination with Regional Load Despatch Centres for the energy accounting of inter-regional exchange of power;
• Coordination for restoration of synchronous operation of national grid with Regional Load Despatch Centres;
• Coordination for trans-national exchange of power;
• Providing operational feed back for national grid planning to the Authority and the Central Transmission Utility;
• Levy and collection of such fee and charges from the generating companies or licensees involved in the power system, as may be specified by the Central Commission.
• Dissemination of information relating to operations of transmission system in accordance with directions or regulations issued by Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Central Government from time to time.

C. Functions of RLDC (Section 28 of Electricity Act, 2003)

• Be responsible for optimum scheduling and despatch of electricity within the region, in accordance with the contracts entered into with the licensees or the generating companies operating in the region;
• Monitor grid operations;
• Keep accounts of quantity of electricity transmitted through the regional grid;
• Exercise supervision and control over the inter-State transmission system; and
• Be responsible for carrying out real time operations for grid control and despatch of electricity within the region through secure and economic operation of the regional grid in accordance with the Grid Standards and the Grid Code.
• To levy and collect such fees & charges from the generating companies or licensees engaged in inter-state transmission of electricity as may be specified by the Central Commission.

D. Other functions

• Open Access in Inter-state transmission: Open Access in Inter-state Transmission has been introduced by CERC in the year 2004 after enactment of the Electricity Act in 2003. The present Regulation in vogue was notified in 2008, which was subsequently amended w.e.f. 15.06.2009.
• NLDC has been designated as nodal agency for collective transactions through Power Exchanges as per Open Access in Inter-state Transmission Regulations and Power Market Regulations. RLDCs have been designated as nodal agency for bilateral transactions.
• Congestion management: CERC has notified Regulations on Measures to relieve congestion in real time operation on 22.12.2009. NLDC and RLDCs are required to asses Total Transfer Capability (TTC), Available Transfer Capability (ATC) and Transmission Reliability Margin (TRM) of inter-regional links / corridors and put the same on their websites. In case of congestion in real time, congestion charge is imposed by NLDC / RLDCs. RLDCs maintain separate accounts for congestion charges collected from and disbursed to different entities.
• Development of Ancillary Services: In India explicit ancillary services market is not there at present. In the Unscheduled Interchange Charges Regulations, CERC has specified that surplus funds left in UI pool account can be utilized for providing Ancillary Services, as identified by Regional Load Despatch Centres. A proposal has been submitted to CERC in this regard. POSOCO would have to gradually develop Ancillary Services with approval of CERC commensurate with maturing of Indian Power Market.
• Sharing of Inter-State Transmission Charges and Losses: As per CERC Regulations dated 15.06.2010 on Sharing of Inter-State Transmission Charges and Losses, NLDC has been designated as Implementing Agency (IA). Data required for carrying out studies and computation is collected form different transmission licensees and designated ISTS customers (DICs). The data is validated by a Validation Committee constituted by the CERC and thereafter results are submitted to CERC. After approval by CERC, the results and rate of charges and losses are published on the website of NLDC.
• Renewable Energy Certificates (REC): In accordance with the CERC Regulations, 2010, regarding REC mechanism, NLDC has been designated as the Central Agency . The functions entrusted to NLDC are registration of eligible Renewable Energy Generation Facilities, issuance of REC, maintenance and settlement of REC Account, repository of transactions in REC, and such other functions incidental to implementation of REC Mechanism as may be assigned by CERC from time to time.
• Renewable Regulatory Fund (RRF): The Indian Electricity Grid Code provides for constitution of a Renewable Regulatory Fund. NLDC, as per the approved detailed procedure for implementation of the RRF Mechanism, shall maintain and operate the RRF.
• Power System Development Fund: CERC has notified the Power System Development Fund Regulations on 04.06.2010. The Power System Development Fund Regulations also provide for a managing committee headed by Head of NLDC / entity entrusted with the function of NLDC and RLDCs.
• Disaster management: As per Ministry of Power letter dated 27th May 2009, NLDC is required to act as Central Control Room in case of natural and man made emergencies / disasters.
• Forum of Load Despatchers (FOLD): FOLD has been constituted by the Forum of Regulators (FOR) in their ninth meeting held on 14th Nov, 2008. NLDC is providing secretarial services to the FOLD.
• Maintenance of Pool Accounts: Operation of Regional UI Pool accounts, regional reactive energy account and congestion charge account shall be maintained by RLDCs as per IEGC, 2010. Operation of Congestion account by NLDC as per Power Market Regulations of CERC effective from 20.01.2010.
• Regulation of power supply: In case of default in payment or non-maintenance of payment security mechanism as per agreement, RLDCs shall prepare implementation plan for regulation of power supply based on request of generating company or transmission company, as per CERC (Regulation of Power Supply) Regulations, 2010.

HIGHLIGHTS OF NORTHERN REGION

• Largest in geographical area amongst the five regions covering 30.7% of the area and 28% of the country’s population.
• Largest number of constituents (9 states/UT’s, 3 Central Generating Companies, one Central Transmission Utility and Bhakra Beas Management Board).
• Largest sized hydro unit (250 MW at Nathpa Jhakri) in the country.
• Establishment of the first super thermal power station (Singrauli STPS) and 400 kV transmission system in the country.
• Establishment of the first High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) long distance transmission system in the country (2×750 MW, + 500 kV Rihand-Dadri HVDC bipole).
• First HVDC back-to-back interconnection with Western Region (2×250 MW back-to-back HVDC station at Vindhyachal).
• First 400 kV Static Var Compensators (SVC’s) in the country (2x + 140 MVAR SVC at Kanpur).
• Largest capacity of combined cycle gas power stations amongst the five regions (2939.50 MW) located along the 700 Kms. long Hazira-Bijaipur-Jagdishpur (HBJ) natural gas pipeline of GAIL.