COVID-19: Impact analysis and recommendations for power sector operation. (1st December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Madurai Elavarasan, Rajvikram; Shafiullah, GM; Raju, Kannadasan; Mudgal, Vijay; Arif, M.T.; Jamal, Taskin; Subramanian, Senthilkumar; Sriraja Balaguru, V.S.; Reddy, K.S.; Subramaniam, Umashankar
• Is Part Of: Applied energy. Volume 279(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-12-01
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- Power systems -- Load demand -- Global power systems -- Indian power system -- Recommendations for sustainable power systems; ACT Actual -- CEEW Council of Energy Environment and Water -- CERC Central Electricity Regulatory Commission -- DISCOMs Distribution Companies -- DSM Deviation Settlement Mechanism -- ER Eastern Region -- ERLDC Eastern Regional Load Dispatch Centre -- FY Financial Year -- FVI Frequency Variation Index -- IEGC Indian Electricity Grid Code -- IEX Indian Energy Exchange -- IISD Institute for Sustainable Development -- IR Indian Rupee -- MCP Market Clearing Price -- MCV Market Clearing Volume -- NER North Eastern Region -- NERLDC North Eastern Regional Load Dispatch Centre -- NHPC National Hydroelectric Power Corporation -- NLDC National Load Dispatch Centre -- NR Northern Region -- NRLDC Northern Regional Load Dispatch Centre -- NTPC National Thermal Power Corporation -- NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory -- PGCIL Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd -- POSOCO Power System Operation Corporation -- PXI Power Energy Exchange -- RES Renewable Energy sources -- RLDC Regional Load Dispatch Centre -- SCH Schedule -- SLDC State Load Dispatch Centre -- SR Southern Region -- SRLDC Southern Regional Load Dispatch Centre -- STATCOM Static Var Compensator -- UFLS Under Frequency based Load Shedding -- USAID United States Agency for International Development -- WR Western Region -- WRLDC Western Regional Load Dispatch Centre -- VAR Volt Ampere Reactive -- VDI Voltage Deviation Index; Power (Mechanics) -- Periodicals; Energy conservation -- Periodicals; Energy conversion -- Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.115739
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-2619

Abstract

Highlights: Investigation on potential impacts in power sector due to COVID-19 pandemic. An analysis on Indian power system scenario during pandemic is presented. Measures to combat unforeseen reduction and shifting of electricity demand. Recommendations are provided for risk management in power and energy sector. Abstract: The demand of electricity has been reduced significantly due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Governments around the world were compelled to reduce the business activity in response to minimize the threat of coronavirus. This on-going situation due to COVID-19 has changed the lifestyle globally as people are mostly staying home and working from home if possible. Hence, there is a significant increase in residential load demand while there is a substantial decrease in commercial and industrial loads. This devastating situation creates new challenges in the technical and financial activities of the power sector and hence most of the utilities around the world initiated a disaster management plan to tackle this ongoing challenges/threats. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the global scenarios of power systems during COVID-19 along with the socio-economic and technical issues faced by the utilities. Then, this study further scrutinized the Indian power system as a case study and explored scenarios, issues and challenges currently being faced to manage the consumer load demand, including the actions taken by the utilities/power sector for the smooth operation of the power system. Finally, a set of recommendations are presented to support the government/policymakers/utilities around the world not only to overcome the current crisis but also to overcome future unforeseeable pandemic alike scenario.