Grid India plans to repurpose idle thermal plants to keep the power grid stable

The Grid Controller of India (Grid India) has proposed converting nine underused thermal power units, with a combined capacity of about 1.8 gigawatts, into special grid-support machines called synchronous condensers (SYNCONs). The aim is to strengthen the reliability of the power grid as India rapidly adds renewable energy. Of the shortlisted units, eight are coal- or lignite-based and one is gas-based, and all are either shut down for long periods or running at very low levels.

A synchronous condenser is a generator that spins freely without producing electricity. Instead of generating power, it supplies inertia, reactive power and voltage support to the grid. Experts describe it as an electrical "shock absorber" that helps keep the system steady during sudden changes in demand or supply. This matters because solar and wind plants, unlike large thermal generators, do not naturally provide this stabilising effect.

Grid stability means keeping voltage and frequency within safe limits at all times so the supply does not collapse. The proposed plants are spread across five states. Rajasthan has the most with three units (Giral, Kota Super Thermal and Dholpur Gas), Gujarat has two (Akrimota and Kutch lignite plants), and Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have the rest. The proposal followed an April review meeting on summer power readiness chaired by the Union Power Secretary, where stakeholders were asked to explore converting idle thermal assets into grid-support infrastructure.

Grid India said the need for such machines has been highlighted by recent grid disturbances and expert studies. It cited a June 2024 event, when the tripping of the Champa-Kurukshetra HVDC link cut about 16.5 GW of load in the Northern Region, and the April 2025 disturbances in Spain and Portugal, which showed the importance of voltage control and system strength in grids with high shares of renewable, inverter-based power. Similar conversions have already been done in the US, UK and Mexico.

For exams, this links energy, environment and infrastructure. Aspirants should understand what grid stability is, the role of Grid India, the idea of converting idle thermal plants into synchronous condensers, and the challenge of balancing growing renewable energy with the steady support that thermal machines traditionally provide.