A power grid refers to an interconnected network for distributing electricity to consumers.
It was in the 1960s that India began utilizing the grid management system on regional basis. The power grid system was then geographically divided into five regions for better management. These regions are – northern, eastern, western, north eastern and southern grids.
They were established to enable the transmission of surplus electricity between states in each region.
Towards the 1990s, the Indian government started planning for a national grid. As a result, the above mentioned regional grids were interconnected.
In October 1991, the first interconnection was made, between the north eastern and the eastern grids. A few years later, in 2003, the western grid got connected with the above. This process followed in the later years as well. The northern grid was also interconnected in August 2006.
In December 2013, the remaining grid- southern was connected to the central grid in a synchronous mode. Thus, the aim to build ‘One Nation – One Grid – One Frequency – was achieved.