Delhi plans a new substation and battery energy storage system to secure power for Raj Niwas, the chief minister’s residence, Vidhan Sabha and other VVIP installations in Civil Lines, reducing dependence on the 400 kV Mandola source. The plan was discussed by the Operation Coordination Committee (OCC).

TPDDL has asked Delhi Transco Limited (DTL) for an alternate supply from the Timarpur 220 kV substation via the 220 kV Sarita Vihar substation. DTL also plans a 400 kV substation at Gopalpur. Mandola outages affect parts of north Delhi, the Metro network and Kashmere Gate Inter Bus Terminus. Delhi receives 1,200 MW from the Power Grid Corporation of India-operated Mandola substation.

In August, a sudden 550 MW drop in incoming supply from 220 kV grids caused an outage affecting nearly eight lakh residents, including in Civil Lines. In June last year, outages followed a fire at Mandola. OCC advised TPDDL to plan battery backup and directed BYPL and TPDDL to arrange back-feeding for the 33 kV Sabzi Mandi substation through Wazirpur and Devnagar. Delhi is preparing an outage-restoration SOP.