Keeps functioning even in flood-like conditions : Successful experiment of Tata Power’s underground power substation in Mumbai!

Incidents of emergencies are increasing day by day. Flood-like conditions have now become common during the monsoon season. In rural areas, heavy rains cause flooding; however, in urban areas like Mumbai, where there is a network of buildings, communication systems are disrupted after a few hours of rain. In such a situation, a ‘short-term power outage’ is not affordable as it can cause losses of lakhs and crores of rupees to an establishment in a financial capital city like Mumbai. Therefore, in major cities like Mumbai, which are the backbone of the economy, ‘continuing power supply even in flood-like conditions’ is of utmost importance. Due to water drainage problems in Mumbai or other cities, water accumulated in small amounts of rain enters the power substations supplying electricity and the power supply is interrupted or has to be interrupted to avoid accidents. As a solution to this, the ‘Tata Power’ establishment has implemented a unique project in Parel, Mumbai. It is known as the ‘Underground Power Substation’.

This year’s heavy rains proved to be a test for this substation. This project was successful in ensuring that electricity supply continued even when water entered the city. Therefore, in the future, this project will be necessary for flood-prone or water-logged cities across the country. The representative of ‘Sanatan Prabhat’ understood the information about this unique project from official sources of the Tata Power establishment. Let us understand the information about this project, which will be useful in emergencies, from this article.
– Mr. Pritam Nachankar, Special Representative, ‘Sanatan Prabhat’, Mumbai. (25.9.2025)

1. The need for innovative experiments for…

Due to urbanization, land prices in Mumbai have skyrocketed. Many redevelopment works are currently underway in the South Mumbai area. Due to this, skyscrapers are being built in this area. Due to this, the demand for electricity is also increasing significantly. Although the demand for electricity is increasing, there is no separate space available for building a substation for electricity distribution. Due to the high cost of land in a city like Mumbai, developers do not provide the required space for an electricity substation. To solve this problem, private distribution companies like ‘Tata Power’ are undertaking various new initiatives.

2. The first experiment of a project on a high floor in a building!

One of these initiatives is the electricity substation built on the 44th floor of a 74-storey building called ‘Lodha World 1’ in Parel. This is the first electricity project in the country to be built at such a height. This center has been operating successfully for the last 5 years.

A project to prevent electricity leakage and loss of life due to it!

During the monsoon, water accumulates in various places in the city of Mumbai. Due to this, communication facilities remain closed, and electricity substations located at various places also have to be closed due to accumulated rainwater, and sometimes there is loss of life due to electricity leakage in many places. This problem occurs in different areas every year. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 12,529 people die every year across the country due to various types of electrical leakage. As a solution to this problem, the Tata Power group conducted the first experiment in the Parel area of ​​Mumbai to build an electrical substation that can operate even in water.
– Mr. Pritam Nachankar

3. What is the structure?

This substation is of 22 kilovolts, 400 kVA capacity. A special type of transformer has been used in this substation that can also run in water. This underground electrical substation has been built under the garden and parking lot. The space above this underground substation can be used for various general purposes. The water accumulating in this substation is drained from time to time so that mosquitoes do not breed. Special care has been taken to ensure that dust particles, steam and water do not enter the electrical charge in this substation. It has been designed in such a way that there is no need for special maintenance for the equipment used in it. Due to this, the maintenance cost is reduced. Modern sensors that can be used for ‘online monitoring’ have been used in this electrical system. If there is any failure in this system, a fast-acting protective system has been installed to automatically ‘disconnect’ (shut down).

4. The success of the project is proven, 100 projects will be implemented in Mumbai!

In this, ‘coolant’ and ‘gasket’ that will continue to work even at temperatures above 200 degrees have been used. This ‘gasket’ is environmentally friendly to prevent pollution. This power substation in Parel has been operating for 9 months. This substation was completely submerged during the monsoon this year; however, even after that, the electricity supplied from this substation did not break. This has proven the capacity of this system. Therefore, there are plans to set up 100 such power substations in Mumbai in the future.

Salient features of the project!

1. All the equipment is ‘waterproof’. Therefore, this system continues to function efficiently even in floods.
2. Some ‘patents’ (ownership rights) have been obtained in this, while verification of some ‘patents’ is underway.
3. It is completely maintenance-free and runs completely on ‘remote operating’. This saves manpower.
4. This power substation is known as ‘Zero Space’ as it is underground.
5. The possibility of fire is minimal, meaning the possibility of loss of life in any way is minimal.
– Mr. Pritam Nachankar