India’s first 1,200 KV HVAC Transformer, manufactured by BHEL, has been commissioned at the 1,200 KV National Test Station at Bina (MP) on Friday. IS Jha, Director (Projects) Powergrid, RK Tiwari, general manager (TCB) BHEL, Bhopal were amongst the dignitaries who were present to witness the historic occasion.

With the commissioning of the 1,200 KV Transmission system, India joins the elite group of countries like Russia, Japan and China which have commissioned such High Voltage Transmission systems.

1,200 KV System is the highest rated transmission voltage in the world and is the leading edge technology in this field. There are very few organisations in the world that have this technology. BHEL is the first Indian organisation to have developed the technology with in-house efforts.

The development has been the outcome of two years of rigorous research by the engineers of BHEL, Bhopal. The challenge for the team was the extremely onerous dielectric stresses and worldwide paucity of experience in similar systems. The success is even more credit-worthy, as it has been designed with complete in-house efforts.

The manufacturing of the transformer also posed its own set of challenges which were successfully overcome to meet the stringent requirements. The transformer was made in special controlled conditions with the processes being closely monitored to ensure full compliance.

Looking at the size of the country and the requirement of power, the 1,200 KV Transmission system is likely to be the Transmission system of the future. With the development and the successful commissioning 333 MVA, 1150/400/33 kV, 1-phase, auto-transformer BHEL is now in a position to meet the country’s requirement of Ultra High Voltage Transformers, opening a new era of self reliance in the technological field vital for the development of the country.