Govt Ups Security for National Power Grid

India has stepped up the security of its national power grid as heightened tensions with Pakistan revive memories of cyberattacks in recent years, three people aware of the development said.

- Rituraj Baruah

The power ministry has tightened security protocols at the load despatch centres which manage the demand and supply of power. The goal is to repel potential cyber and physical attacks that could bring down the grid, a calamity for any transmission utility.

"The National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC) and other regional and state load despatch centres are highly secure and safe. However, the security of these load despatch centres is usually enhanced in the light of the national security situation," one of the three people said on the condition of anonymity.

The load despatch system has three levels, with the NLDC serving as the nerve centre. Below it are five regional load despatch centres (RLDCs) that supervise the five regional grids that form the national grid. Lower down are 33 state load dispatch centres (SLDCs) that manage power for the states and Union territories.