Hitachi ABB Power Grids in India on Monday announced commissioning of a 1,800 km long 6GW ultra-high voltage direct current (UHVDC) transmission link from Raigarh to Pugalur.

The 800 kilovolt (kV) transmission link has the capacity to meet the electricity needs of more than 80 million people.

It stretches from Raigarh in Central India to Pugalur in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

"Hitachi ABB Power Grids in India...has successfully commissioned one of India’s longest UHVDC transmission links for Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL)," a company statement said.

Reliable power can now be transmitted in either direction depending on demand, with exceptionally low power losses and minimal environmental footprint, it stated.

The link supports the government’s mission and the UN Sustainable Development Goal of increasing access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.

"With the commissioning of this groundbreaking UHVDC link, we have kept our promise to enable more clean and reliable power for millions of people, helping to build a future where electricity will be the backbone of the entire energy system," said N Venu, Managing Director and CEO, Hitachi ABB Power Grids in India.

The link strengthens grid resilience and stabilizes the power infrastructure by combining traditional and renewable power generation. It enables further development and integration of sustainable energy, supporting the government’s goal of reaching 450 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy by 2030.

Using HVDC helps conserve the environment by only occupying about one-third of the land compared to a traditional AC link.

The consortium of Hitachi ABB Power Grids and state-owned BHEL won the order in 2016 from PGCIL.

Hitachi ABB Power Grids has been responsible for delivering UHVDC converter stations, including design, engineering, construction, installation, and commissioning, as well as major equipment, including 800 kV converter transformers, converter valves, high-voltage products and control and protection technology.

Raigarh-Pugalur is the company’s sixth HVDC project in India and the second UHVDC installation, following the multi-terminal Northeast Agra link.

Hitachi ABB Power Grids India operates under the legal entity name ABB Power Products and Systems India