2013 Annual IEEE India Conference (INDICON)
Black Start Exercises
Experience in Western Region, India
P. Pentayya, A.Gartia, Aditya P. Das, Chandan Kumar,
Western Regional Load Despatch Centre, POSOCO, Mumbai, India.
Abstract— Black start in power system basically means restoring
a generating unit with its auxiliaries supplied by DG set or
battery and extending power supply to loads after dead bus
charging and energizing a transmission line to seek loads. This is
the first step in system restoration post a partial or total black
out in any part of an electrical power grid. In view of growing
complexity in power system with addition of new generation,
transmission and distribution network the need for a well-tested
plan for system restoration has gained currency across system
operators round the globe. Going forward, with gradual
development of a mature power market in India the black start
facility of existing and upcoming generating stations can be
commoditized and possibly traded as an ancillary service to the
power system users for which each black start capable generator
would be required to get its black start capability validated and
certified on a regular basis. Black start mock drills are planned
grid restoration exercises carried out by the system operators on
a live power system to test the capability of existing black start
sources like hydro / gas turbine generators and validate the
existing grid restoration strategies. These exercises do also play a
vital role in boosting confidence of the system operators to deal
with a real black out scenario. This paper describes four black
start exercises, various lessons learnt and experience gained
during black start exercises carried out at three black start
capable hydro stations and one black start capable gas turbine
based generating station in Western Regional Power grid of
India.
Keywords— Black Out; Black Start; Islanding; Ancillary
Services; Restoration.
I. INTRODUCTION
The blackout in electrical power system is a condition of
total loss of power supply in an area due to failure of
associated generation or transmission facilities [1]. It is one of
the worst case scenarios for power system operators and all
efforts are made by the operators to restore the system in the
least possible time since the overall economic loss due to
system black out multiplies with every minute delay in
recovery. Restoration of large power grids post black out
requires meticulous planning and coordination among system
operators. Hence the operators of integrated electrical power
grids worldwide devise restoration procedures and validate it
regularly. The strategy for restoration post a black out depends
upon the nature of blackout which may be either a partial
black out where part of from a standalone source of power like
a local DG set and energize the transmission system to a
nearest load point with least reactive support from any
external source. This capability of the black start sources
978-1-4799-2275-8/13/$31.00 ©2013 IEEE
need to be tested through carrying out black start exercises.
These exercises apart from validating effectiveness of existing
black start generators also boost the confidence level of grid
operators to deal with the crisis during a real black out
scenario. Therefore it is mandated by the regulators in India to
conduct such exercises twice a year for power system
reliability [2].
The black start strategy can be broadly classified into two
categories viz. the ‘bottom-up strategy’ where in a generator is
black started from a standalone source of power and an island
is created around that generator by charging some short length
transmission lines up to a nearest load point followed by
gradual connection of load; or the ‘top-down strategy’ where
start-up power is extended from a surviving sub-system to a
nearest generating unit in the area affected during blackout.
This paper describes the system operator experience in
black start mock drill activities carried out in western grid of
India. Section II gives an insight into the worldwide practices
on black start. While section III describes the bottom-up
approach of black start activity. The black start approach is
western grid has been explained in section IV. Section V-VIII
comprises of 4 mock drill activity carried out in western
regional black start capable generating station. The experience
of all these mock drill activity have been summarized in
section IX.
II. LITERATURE SURVEY ON WORLDWIDE PRACTICES ON
BLACK START
A lot of literatures are available related with various
blackout scenarios and black start followed to restore the
system. A method of black start based on VSC-HVDC
(Voltage Source Converter – High Voltage Direct Current) has
been proposed by Li Li Mingxia Zhou Sheng Li Yinhui Li,
Hunan Inst. of Eng., Xiangtan, [3]. This paper provides an
analysis on the advantages of VSC-HVDC as black start
power source and discusses the control strategies of VSC-
HVDC in different operating conditions. Northern Region of
India has conducted several black start exercises mainly from
available hydroelectric power stations at Bhakra(BBMB),
Chamera, Bairasiul, Tehri, Jhakri, Salal etc. [4]. They have
followed basically bottom-up approach of restoration during
those exercises.
Kris Koellner of Salt River Project(SRP), Central Arizona,
USA, Chris Anderson and Roy Moxley of Schweitzer
Engineering Laboratories(SEL), Inc. have shared their
experience during a black start exercise conducted in an area
in Western Electric Coordinating Council (WECC) power grid IV. WESTERN GRID OF INDIA AND BLACK START
using several hydro generating units of the SRP hydro system SOURCES
and a thermal generating station [5]. They have black started Western Regional (WR) power grid of India comprises the
the hydro units and brought on bar the thermal power station power system network geographically spread across the states
with start-up power from the hydro units, thereby creating an of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa
island which was finally synchronized to the WECC power and union territories of Daman & Diu and Dadra Nagar
grid. They have also illustrated the use of Synchrophasor data Haveli. WR has more than 30 generating stations with black
to view frequency stability, verify system independence and start capability [8]. Black Start exercises are regularly planned
observe the synchronization point. and carried out at these generating stations in coordination
with all the agencies involved. As per Indian Electricity grid
J. A. Parts Lopes, C. L. Moreira, F. O. Resende of the code (IEGC), such mock drill should be organized at every 6
Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering of Porto and months at each black start capable generating station. The
FEUP - Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto have following section describes learning experience gained during
described the control strategies to be adopted for islanded black start exercises conducted at three hydroelectric power
operation in a low voltage distribution network with large stations in WR viz. Indira Sagar hydro power station (ISP),
number of small sized dispersed generation (like fuel cells, Bargi hydro Power station in Madhya Pradesh, Sardar Sarovar
micro turbines, wind generators, photo voltaic cells etc.) and Hydro Power Station (SSP) in Gujarat during last one year and
to exploit the local generation resources as a way to help in one Gas power plant at CCPP, Vatva in Gujarat. Details of
power system restoration after a general blackout [7]. black start facilities available at these hydro power stations
III. OVERVIEW OF BLACK START MOCK DRILLS and gas power station are given at table-I. All these hydro
power stations are located on Narmada river basin in western
The objective of black start mock drills is to test the India.
capability of a registered black start unit (included in
Recovery Procedures) by providing external supply from DG TABLE 1: BLACK START FACILITY AT GENERATING STATION
set to its auxiliaries and to start the unit. The black started unit
Sl. Name of the Installed Turbine Source of
running at no load shall be able to charge high voltage side No Hydro Power Capacity(MW) Type self-start
bus called dead bus charging. Then the unit shall be capable Station
of charging at least one shortest line to the next bus where
load is available. Lastly, an island formed out of supply from 2x1000
1 Indira Sagar(ISP) 8 x 125 Francis
kVA DG set
black -started unit shall be capable of synchronizing with the
rest of the grid successfully. All the problems experienced
during the exercise shall be documented and solutions sought 250 kVA
2 Bargi 2 x 45 Kaplan
DG set
for the next exercise.
Sardar Sarovar Reversible 2x1000
During the black start exercises in ‘bottom up’ approach, 3
(SSP-RBPH)
6 x 200
Francis kVA DG set
generally an identified sub-system is separated out from the
main grid and allowed to operate independently with its own Combined
generation and load [6]. A black-out in the is-landed sub- cycle dual 500 kVA
4 CCPP,Vatva 100
fuel based DG set
system is created by closing down all the generation in that Gas plant
area. The black start process is initiated by self-starting one or
more generating unit(s) in that area with help of start-up V. BLACK START AT INDIRASAGAR HYDRO POWER
(auxiliary) power from a stand-alone source such as a local STATION
DG set. There after the tie line is charged to reach up to the
nearest substation (S/S) with load. Gradually the island is built Indirasagar hydro power station (ISP) is located at
with addition of load. The island is allowed to operate for Narmada Nagar, 10 km away from the village Punasa in
reasonable time till the parameters like voltage and frequency Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. It is a multipurpose
get stabilized. Finally the island is synchronized with the main project on the river Narmada with installed generation
grid at a suitable pre-identified location. capacity of 1000 MW (8x125 MW). In order to create a total
black out scenario at ISP, a detailed procedure based on the
‘bottom up’ strategy for black start was prepared by WRLDC.
Since the island operates with reduced standards of grid A small area around ISP was identified to be is-landed from
parameters (voltage and frequency), due care is exercised in rest of the grid. The planned island comprised of one 125 MW
selecting the loads to ensure that sensitive loads are least unit at ISP, radially feeding identified block loads at
affected. The tie lines that are energized from the black started 220/132/33 kV Jetpura S/S through 400/220 kV Indore S/S in
unit must be of minimum length and those having reactive
Madhya Pradesh. A schematic network diagram for the ISP
support (in the form of line reactor etc.) at the remote end are
Island is given in Fig. 1.
preferred so that the generator is relieved of the reactive burden
of the unloaded transmission line.
 Indira Sagar Island 400/220 kV
Indira Sagar
Jetpura S/S for close to 2 hours. After operating in islanded
during Black Start Main Bus-B
Mock Drill Substation(ISP) mode for close to one hour the island was synchronized with
Unit# 5 80Km ISP-Indore-II
rest of the grid at 13:12:37 hrs by closing the 400 kV B/C at
Indore as shown in Fig. 2 . During synchronization, though the
400 kV Bus-I 400/220 kV
Indore sub-station island got successfully connected to rest of the grid but the
315 MVA,
400/220 kV Indore unit experienced mild jerk and tripped on excitation
ICT-I 220 kV Bus-I
protection. The same was normalized subsequently.
Indore-Jetpura-II

30Km 54.00
220 kV Main Bus-I 220/132/33 kV Is-landed operation

F re q u e n c y (H z )
Jaitpura sub-station of ISP unit #5 At 12:15 the first load (0.7MW
160 MVA, 53.00 approx.)connected on 33 kV
220/132 kV Jetpura 10:12:48 hrs : Jetpura bus
ICT-I 132 kV Jetpura Bus 400 kV ISP B/C Is-land Frequency 13:12:37 hrs:
52.00 opened creating Subsystem was
the is-land.The is- synchronized with
LEGEND: 63 MVA,220/33 kV
land collapsed at the main grid
BBL make transforme
400 kV : 51.00 10:13:58 hrs Grid Frequency through 400 kV
at Jetpura
220 kV : B/C at Indore.
132 kV :
33 kV : 50.00
Transformer: Radial Load at Jetpura( feeding BPCL,Rama-
Generator: Phosphate,Dharampuri,Dhaturia,Sanwer) Indore220_Bus-I_Frq(Hz)
49.00
ISP_400 BusA_Frq(Hz)

Total duration of 220 kV bus dead at

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram for ISP is-land for the black start exercise at ISP 48.00 Jetpura on account of mock exercise
was from 10:15 to 11:52 [1hr & 27mins]
The black start exercise was conducted on a live system in Time(hh:mm:ss)
47.00
WR grid. As per the procedure developed in coordination with
all the involved agencies including the generating station, state 0:0
0
0:0
0
:00
:00
:3 0
:00
:0 0
:0 0
:3 0
:0 0
:00
:00
:30
:00
:0 0
:0 0
:3 0
:0 0
:0 0
:0 0
9:0 9:3 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14
load dispatch centre (SLDC), regional load dispatch centre
(WRLDC) the elements in the planned island were separated
Fig. 2. Frequency plots during black start exercise at ISP.
from rest of the grid by bus splitting operation at appropriate
locations except at ISP. The 400 kV bus coupler at ISP was
VI. BLACK START AT BARGI HYDRO POWER PLANT
kept closed as the only point of connection with rest of the
grid. One 125 MW unit was started after change of governor Bargi hydro power station (HPS) is located in Jabalpur
droop setting to 10%. The generation of the unit was adjusted district of Madhya Pradesh with two generators having
to match the load at Jetpura (around 16-18 MW) and at an installed capacity of 45 MW each and a 250 kVA DG set is
appropriate moment the 400 bus coupler at ISP was opened to available as a source of black start.A black start exercise was
isolate the sub-system from rest of the grid. The sub-system carried at Bargi HPS on 10th February, 2011. These hydro
got separated successfully from rest of the grid but could not units inject power to the grid at 132 kV level. The planned
be stabilized mainly due to lack of primary response from the island comprised one 45 MW Unit (i.e. Unit 2) at Bargi, 132
unit and the island collapsed within 70 seconds on low kV Bargi bus-I, 132 kV Bargi-Lakhnadaun single circuit line
frequency when it fell below 45 Hz. Since there was no (36 Km), one 132/33 kV, 40 MVA transformer at Lakhnadaun
automatic governor action from the unit, the operators tried to and five 33 kV radial feeders at Lakhnadaun. The 132 kV bus
achieve load generation balance by manual control of the at Bargi HPS was operated in split mode and main bus-I was
generation during which the frequency varied widely and used as part of the island. The schematic island for this mock
eventually touched 45 Hz when the machine tripped causing drill activity is given at Fig. 3.
collapse of the island. Subsequently the island was rebuilt by
starting one unit with a DG set at ISP and the transmission
system up to the load point was energized with the black
started unit at ISP followed by gradual addition of load at
Jetpura. Then the island operated successfully for close to one
hour during which the various system parameters like voltage,
frequency, line loading etc were closely observed. The
following graphical plot summarizes observations during the
exercise.

As it can be seen the variation in various power system

parameters like frequency was much beyond the normal range
of operation as per IEGC [2]. The sub-system operated
successfully for almost one hour (12:15 hrs to 13:12 hrs)
catering to a load of 12-13 MW. The frequency of the is-land
touched a maximum of 53.39 Hz at 12:12 hrs and minimum of
Fig. 3. Schematic diagram for Bargi Island
49.17 Hz at 12:10 hrs. There was complete load interruption at
 The exercise was carried out in two stages like the case at
Indira Sagar. The unit was kept in speed control mode with
droop setting kept at 5%. Due to adequate governor response
the islanded operation was quite stable and frequency
remained close to 50 Hz as shown in Fig. 4.
51 minutes took place. Due to large fluctuation of frequency
(46.6 to 51.9 Hz) in the island was not synchronized to grid as
with such variation connecting to grid is threat for the
generator. Fig. 4 shows the various stages in the black start
mock drill activity.

Fig. 4. Frequency plots during black start exercise at Bargi Fig. 5. Schematic Diagram of the SSP

The island could be created and power supply to the

blacked out Lakhnadaun S/S could be restored with the black-
started generator within 23 minutes. The island was catering to
a load of 22-24 MW while it was integrated with rest of the
grid by check synchronization with 132 kV bus-coupler at
Bargi.

VII. BLACK START AT SSP HYDRO POWER PLANT

Sardar Sarovar hydro power station is located near
Nevagam in Gujarat. It is having an installed capacity of 1450
MW (6 X 200 + 5 X 50). Main power plant houses six
200 MW Francis pump-turbines to generate electricity and
afford a pumped-storage capability also known as River bed
power house (RBPH). Additionally, a power plant on the
intake for the main canal contains five 50 MW Kaplan
turbine-generators called as canal head power house (CHPH).
Two DG set, each having capacity of 1000 KVA is available
as blackstart source. A black start mock drill was organized on Fig. 6. Frequency plots during black start exercise at SSP
8th April 2012 with coordination of WRLDC, SLDC-Gujarat
and SSP Power plant. The mock drill activity involved the VIII. BLACK START AT CCPP VATVA GAS POWER PLANT
island formation that involved SSP Unit-2, SSP-Asoj S/C line,
Asoj 400/220 ICT-1, 220 kV Asoj-Wagodia line and loads at CCPP, Vatva is a gas based power plant in Ahmedabad,
Wagodia. The schematic diagram of the system under Gujarat. It is a 100 MW Combined Cycle Dual fuel power
blackstart mock drill activity is shown in Fig. 5. plant located at Vatva in Ahmedabad. The station consists of
two gas turbines each of 32.5 MW and a steam turbine of 35
At first the island was created by isolating Bus 1 and Bus 2 MW capacity. The Plant is located in close proximity to the
at SSP and it successfully operated for 15 minutes. After that Vatva Industrial Estate thus reducing the transmission and
Unit 2 was shut down and blackout was created in the island. distribution losses and ensuring high quality of power to the
After that DG set was energized to start the auxiliary and the industrial customer.
generation started in Unit-2. 400 kV SSP-Asoj line was
charged followed by 500 MVA 400/220 kV ICT-1 at Asoj The mock drill on this generating station was carried out
which led to charging of 220KV bus-1 at Asoj. After that on 28th November, 2012. In this mock drill activity generator
220/66 kV ICT was charged at Wagodia and load increment was operated on house load using DG set. Generator was first
started for island formation. Successful operation of island for made to cut off from the grid by opening its 132 kV Links and
then with the help of DG set it was started again. Due to its
connection with industrial load and the more variation in
electrical parameter during house load operation it was not
advised to take industrial load available radially.
Fig. 7. Schematic diagram for Island for the black start exercise at CCPP,
Vatva
IX. LESSONS LEARNT
The overall experience of all the four black start mock drill
activities are summarized below:
• Lack of automatic governor action led to inability to
control frequency of the island formed with black
stated unit and the generator tripped during the mock
exercise for ISP and the island collapsed. Either the
black started unit or at least one unit in the island
should be designated to control frequency through
automatic Governor action.
• After the successful island formation, the island
should be connected to another island or to the rest of
the system at the earliest of opportunity at a pre-
designated synchronizing location. The small inertia
island may experience jerk and may go out of
synchronization if due care is not taken in matching
frequency of both the systems. This is one of the
lessons learnt during ISP black start exercise.
• While connecting loads with the island, the variation
in electrical parameters need to be kept under limit so
that the black started unit is not subjected to severe
frequency and voltage fluctuations. The load pick up
should be regulated and for voltage control load
power factor information would help.
• Various issues like communication and equipment
issues which come out while carrying out mock drill
need to be solved at the earliest. This will help the
black start unit in readiness.
• All reactive resources (viz. Synchronous condensers,
Shunt Reactors, HVDC filter banks etc.) to be
optimally utilized for voltage control in the island
operation.
X. CONCLUSION
The Black start mock drill activities are very important and
need to be carried out at regular intervals for preparedness of
black started units when there is a need for the same in real
time operation during large disturbances. These activities help
power system engineers to find out the challenges that are
likely to be faced during the starting of unit without any
external power supply. From the above discussed black start
mock drill activities, some common problems that appear are
the lack of primary response from the governor, collapsing of
island due to rough synchronization, voltage fluctuations,
estimating stiffness of island etc. These issues need to be
carefully examined and procedure for restoration needs to be
formulated.
Also there is a need of market mechanism for providing
incentive to such generators. The same can be introduced as
ancillary services for black start. This will increase the
effective preparedness of generators for mock drill and actual
black start as and when required.
XI. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors acknowledge with thanks the guidance and
support given by managements of POSOCO as well as PGCIL
and for permitting the publication of this paper. The authors
are also thankful to WRLDC and Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat
SLDC personnel for their support. The views expressed in this
paper are of the authors and not necessarily that of the
organizations they represent.
XII. REFERENCES
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Planning to Crisis Management John Wiley & Sons 2001 ISBN 978-0-
471-49016-6 section 7.5 The 'Black Start' Situation.
[2] CERC - Indian Electricity Grid Code 2010.
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Based on VSC-HVDC”, IEEE, International Conference on Computing
Control and Industrial Engineering (CCIE), 5-6 June 2010.
[4] V. K Agrawal, R. K. Porwal, Rajesh Kumar, Vivek Pandey, “Mock
Blackstart Drills – An Excellent Learning Experience for Power System
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[5] Kris Koellner, Chris Anderson and Roy Moxley “Generator Black Start
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