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'Engineers have to effectively combineboth theory &practice in their career'

The present

emphasis is notonly on

discovering newmeans ofgenerating powerbut also onimproving theefficiency

TCE has participated in both conventional and non-conventional power generation. Primarily,TCE'sroleistof an Architect Engineer for several clients, includingSEBs in India.The company has also beenassociawith several power projects implemented on EPC basis. In an exclusive interview,sharinghisviewwElectrical India, Subrata Deb, states that I believe the electrical engineer continues to be of key importainthe Power Industrybut his rolehas evolved fromthat ofevaluating purelytechnicalaspects to encompassvarious inputs in his day-to-day work.

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EI Yourvastexperiencehasostensiblyofferedyou a panoramicview ofthe power and energy sector that fewpossess.Couldyoutell us of the varioussignificantchangesthat the industryhasgone through since you began yourcareer?Thankyou for inviting me to share myperspective about the growth andchanges in the power sector.Because of my active association withthe field of design for thermal powerprojects for over 4 decades, I had theprivilegeto observe all round changesinGeneration,Transmission,Distributionand Utilizationof electrical power thatthe industry has gone through.The power sector has registeredsignificant progress since the processof planned development of theeconomy began in 1950; new andlargerthermal power plants with lowercost per kilowatt are being installed.Thiscost advantage has been obtainedthrough higher temperatures andpressures for the steam cycle, whichlowered the amount of fuel requiredper kWhr of electrical energygenerated. Presently, a number ofsuper critical 660 MWunits are underconstruction. India's first 800 MWAdvanced Ultra Super Critical CoalFired Power Plant will be operationalby2017.Theengineers involved in planning thepowersystem saw the great advantageof inter connecting utilities to reducecapital investments and fuel costs.Regional and inter-regional ihterconnections were established (1960-State Grid, 1970- Regional Grid, 2000-Limited Inter-Regional Capacity). Alsoduring late 1970s first 400 kVline wascommissioned. Between 1980-1990'sfirst 500 kV HVDCline and between1990s-2000 first 765 EHV line wascommissioned.It is estimated that by 2030, theelectricityconsumption in India will bealmost double.Totransmit bulk powerthrough inter- regional grid we mayhaveto implement 1200KvUHVAC&:t

800 Kv DC system in near future. Foreffective VARcontrol in the grid wehave now static VARcompensator &FlexibleACtransmission (FACTS).On the analytical side, improved toolswere rapidly being developed. Greatlyimproved tools for technical analysissuch as computers began to appear,first as analog computers and then asdigital computers.Due to advent of microprocessor manynew concepts were being introduced.Computer control has now become

The powersector hasregistered

significant progresssince the process ofplanneddevelopment of theeconomy began in1950; new andlarger thermal

power pia ntswithlower cost perkilowatt are beinginstalled

state-of-art in control by the use ofmicroprocessor with facilities likeon-line diagnostics and artificialintelligence which helps betteroperation and on-line testing. Thisensures reliability of protection system.With the fast evolving electronicstechnology, it has become extremelydifficult to supply latest systems withproven record of satisfactory operationfor even 3 years.We can either have old

Interviewproven system or new unprovensystem.Also we now find the application ofGeographic Information System (GISand Global Positioning System (GPS)inpower utilities. GIS when integratedwith real time SCADAhelps in efficienthandling of customer inquiries, faultmanagement, preventive maintenance,network optimization, improvedrevenues and energy audit. Mappingby using GPS is very fast, precise andcost effective. Data isacquired indigitalformat and thus, can be transmittedand further, stored and analysed usingdifferent software tools.Of late, serious thought is being givento the qua lityofpower, implementationof Smart Grid and DecentralizedDistributed Generation (DDG).It is observed that there is a gradualshift in control of Electrical PowerIndustry which was previouslydominated by engineering profession.Now we find other professionals likeBankers,Lawyersand Environmentalistsare taking active part in this Industry.The policy of liberalization the Galannounced in 1991 and consequentamendments in ElectricityAct (supply)have opened new vistas to involveprivate efforts and investments inelectricity industry.EI What technologiesdo you thinkare of considerablemportanceinthe Indianpowerscenario?Indian power sector is caughtbetween the pressure of adding new

generation capacities to match therapidly growing demand of powerand environmental challenges arisingfrom large scale power generation.Recognizing that coal may continue todominate the sector profile, India iscommitted to Clean coal technologiesby utilizing Coal beneficiation,Integrated gasification combinedcycle technology, Coal bed methane(CBM),Underground coal gasification(UCG) and also use of Supercritical technology.

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Interv'iewEI How important do you think. innovations inthepowerndustrytoday? What according you are theinnovativetechnologiesthat couldbringabout a paradigm shift in the Indianpowersector?The threat posed by future shortageof fossil and nuclear fission fuelsand the reduced availability of hydroelectric power sites has focusedthe attention of engineers on"unconventional" sources. The presentemphasis is not only on discoveringnew means of generating power butalso on improving the efficiency andlowering the cost of establishedtechniques.Utilization of coal for power generationposes one ofthe biggest environmentalproblems because of the fly ashemissions to the. atmosphere &fly ashdumping in the' land. Due to largeemissions from thermal power plantsair pollution has become aninternational problem. Therefore allefforts must be applied to search foralternate sources of energy.Power from ocean: The ocean thermalenergy conversion (OTEC)technologyis based on temperature difference atsurface (at about 290C) and at a depthof 1100 meter (at about 50C) toproduce electricity. It has a potentialto generate around 180 GW of poweralong the Indian sea cost.The National Institute of OceanTechnology (NIOT) is implementingthe world's first 1MW floating OTECtechnology demonstration project 0the Tuticorin coast in Tamilnadu Solarthermal energy technology. Majortechnology breakthrough in solarcould catalyze the development oflarge solar farms. In July 2009, Indiaunveiled a $ 19 Billion plan to produce20 GWof solar power by 2020Geothermal Power: The outer crust of}he- ei'lrth contains a very large(e.~~rV()i~(energy present as sensible"neat. This'resource isbetween one andtwo orders-of magnitude larger thanthe 'recover~ble energy from uranium

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InterviewEI Whatare someof the noteworthyprojectsincludingthermal,turbinesandsubstationsthat youhaveworkedonin thespanofyourillustriouscareer?Iwas involved in the design of severalthermal power projects in India.Someprojects which I have handled areKolaghat Thermal Power Station (KTPS)- 3 * 210 MW(Phase-1) Under WBSEB;Korba Super Thermal Power Station,Madhya Pradesh - 3*210 MW;Ramagundam Super Thermal PowerStation- 3*210 MW; NALCO-CaptivePower Plant - 6*120 MW;ChandrapuraTPP (2* 140MW) DVCand Titagarh TPP(4* 60 MW)CESe.

EI What trends do you see in thePowerIndustrytoday?Howdoyouthink the r~le of an electrical engineerhaschangedsincethe inceptionof yourcareer?Dstributed digital control, PLC &extensive automation includingSCADAor the substation are now beingapplied by the engineers. Also now wefind information technology initiativein electricity distribution system.I believe the electrical engineercontinues to be of key importance inthe Power Industry but his role hasevolved from that of evaluating purelytechnical aspects to encompassingvarious inputs in his day-to-day work.The engineer is now expected to haveunderstanding of environmentalregulations and laws gov~rning thesame, scope of modern electronicsbased control and communicationsystems and ability to work in crossdisciplinary teams that includes lawyers,environmentalists, policy makers andengineers from other disciplines.EI Whatstrategiesdo youthinkmustbe implementedto address theproblemsin rural powersectorin India?M ost of the villages which need tobe electrified are at places faraway from the grid. It is expensive toextend grid supply to these villages

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and it also results in cutting of trees inforest area. It will be economical toelectrify these villages by setting up ofplant near to the village & supplypower. Such a distributed generationcan be fed by Biomass fuels whichinclude fuel wood, animal & domesticwastes &agro wastes.According to the India Vision 2020published by Planning Commission,about 50 million hectares of degradedwaste land lie outside the demarcatedforest areas and 34 million hectares ofprotected forest areas do not have anyforest cover. A large scale fast growingtree plantation programme, likebamboo, casuarinas and eucalyptuscan be undertaken. The product canbe utilized as fuel for the biomasspower plants. Distributed power plantsranging in size from 10 to 25 MWcansubstantially reduce dependence onimported fuel oils and fast depletingfossil fuel reserves. It is estimated that40 million hectares of such plantationcan generate 100 GW of power andprovide employment to 30 millionpeople round the year.The energy-efficient LED lights willdefinitely playa key role in providinglighting for the people at the base ofthe pyramid, particularly because ofthe limitations in power supply fromnon-conventional sources available tothem. It consumes 50% less powerthan 11 watt compact fluorescentlamp (CFL)for the same light output.These LED lightning can also beextensively used for street lightning inmetro cities which will save substantialenergy & reduce CO2 emissions.Innovative financial schemes need tobe experimented with to fund settingup of Wind farms and Solar PVpanelsin rural areas. There is some indicationof such schemes being already thoughtabout by different government bodiesin the form of subsidies. Extensivepartnership with rural communities inthis process is a must to increasetheir effectiveness.

EI Doyouhaveanyadviceasthawould like to give to elecengineershat havejust startedwithtcareers?Theory is when everybodyknhow it should work, but itdoesPractice is when it worksbutnobknows how! Engineers haveeffectively combine both theorypractice in their career and alsothave to be increasingly concernedonly with the depth of knowledgemore so with the width of knowleso that they become multi-skversatile & develop an attitudecontinuous learning. They mconsistently strive to be abreast oflatest development &innovationgoon around the world intheirrespecdisciplines. They have to develohigher level of consciousnessaboutimportance of time, cost, quaproductivity, ecology &inculcatethvalues inallwalks of life.During the sojourn of mylifewhlook over the canvass ofmylongcarI have become staunch believeintegrity, sincerity and enquiringmwhich I believe are the ingredientsuccess. In my view this is the eragood communication welcomeveryone's valuable contributionorder to bring out the best andfillefrom comprehensive viewsdevelopment of industries.EI Would you enlightenaboutyfuture plans andprojectsn TConsulting Engineers Limited asconsultantandChiefmentor?llike to keep an open mind awelcome team work.WherepossiI take a key role in managemeguiding & facilitating people inorto encourage them to do thduties to their full potentIbelieve that this isthe keyofsuccesmanagement that can yieldexceresults aspiring people's senseachievement in the growththe industry.