The Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company (MSETCL) has proposed a scheme to upgrade the control and protection system of the Chandrapur-Padghe High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) link, a critical part of Maharashtra's power infrastructure.

Approved by the Maharashtra Transmission Committee (MTC), the proposal is now pending final clearance from the Grid Coordination Committee (GCC). The project is estimated to cost Rs 510 crore and is scheduled for commissioning in FY28 (April 2027 to March 2028). The ±500kV, 1,500 MW Chandrapur-Padghe HVDC bipole link, commissioned in 1999 by ABB and Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL), plays a crucial role in maintaining grid stability in the state’s western region.

However, the existing control system is based on obsolete Single Board Computer (SBC) technology running on the outdated Disk Operating System (DOS). Since 2014, there have been 21 cases of unwarranted tripping linked to failures in this aging system. MSETCL plans to replace the old setup with the modular advanced control for HVDC system from Hitachi Energy. The new system will streamline fault tracing, improve reliability, and ensure availability of support services within India.