The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bhubaneswar, has successfully developed and commissioned a state-of-the-art digital power substation featuring a centralised monitoring and protection system designed for real-time oversight of electrical distribution networks. The system was formally inaugurated on 10 February 2026 by Vishal Kumar Dev, Additional Chief Secretary of the Energy Department, in the presence of IIT-Bhubaneswar Director Shreepad Karmalkar at the institute’s 33/11 kV campus substation.
IIT Bhubaneswar Real-Time Monitoring & Protection: What Does It Mean?
The newly developed digital substation goes beyond traditional infrastructure by integrating a centralised protection and monitoring (CPM) system that continuously oversees the entire electrical distribution network on campus. This allows engineers and operators to track performance, detect anomalies, and implement coordinated responses in real time, boosting reliability and operational safety. Unlike conventional substations that rely heavily on physical Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) for individual protection and control, the digital design leverages intelligent merging units and advanced communication frameworks. This simplifies architecture and reduces hardware footprint while enhancing scalability and automation capabilities. Such innovations are key enablers of smart grid technologies in India’s evolving power sector.
IIT Bhubaneswar Project Backing and Strategic Importance
The initiative was executed as a demonstration project under the National Perspective Plan (NPP) of the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) in Bengaluru, an organisation under the Ministry of Power that focuses on applied research and development for modernising power systems. The objective of the project was to design, develop and demonstrate a centralised protection & monitoring framework capable of:
- Integrating distributed energy resources (e.g., renewable generation sources).
- Enhancing fault detection and mitigation across network segments.
- Providing robust, coordinated protection schemes for the distribution grid.
Such frameworks are increasingly crucial as Indian power infrastructure evolves toward intelligent grid architectures with greater reliance on real-time data, predictive analytics, and automated control.
IIT Bhubaneswar Implications for Future Power Systems
The digital substation prototype at IIT Bhubaneswar aligns with broader national aspirations for smart, resilient and efficient electrical networks. As substations evolve from purely electromechanical installations to digitally connected nodes, the benefits include:
- Improved reliability and network resilience against outages
- Faster fault localization and restoration
- Integration of renewable and distributed energy resources
- Data-driven decision support for grid operators
Technologies such as wide-area monitoring systems, advanced protection relaying, and centralised control dashboards are foundational for future electric grids — concepts echoed in policy recommendations for smart transmission and substation automation. The IIT Bhubaneswar digital substation project thus represents a significant step toward transforming India’s power distribution landscape by merging academic research, applied engineering and national power system needs.