New Delhi: Anticipating the growth in generation and demand for power, the Union Power Ministry has asked all the power transmission installation agencies to install power transmission projects by March next year. According to the government statistics implementation of as many as 12 such power transmission projects in different States has already been delayed by several months.
A senior official in the power ministry told ETV Bharat in New Delhi on Wednesday that the investment in the inter-State transmission sector in the country has been adequate to meet the requirement. All regional grids are synchronously connected and the power transmission capacity in Inter-State Power Transmission System (ISTS) is adequate for smooth flow of power resulting in a "One Nation-One Grid-One Frequency" system, the official said.
"At present, the inter-regional transmission capacity of the national grid is about 1,12,250 MW (76,300 MW added since April 2014). Considering the anticipated growth in generation and demand, sufficient transmission capacity has been planned in the country for evacuation of power from generating stations to the load centres including strengthening of the existing transmission system," the official said.
Also read: Power Ministry orders Coal India to import fuel for first time in years
During the period 2017-18 to 2021-22 (Up to March 2022), an investment of Rs 1,58, 844 crores has been made by central and state transmission utilities. In addition to this, private transmission developers have also invested an estimated Rs 20,946 crore during the period and 2017-18 to 2021-22 (Upto February 28, 2022). Out of the 4,54,540 circuit km (CKM) of transmission lines (220 kV& above) commissioned in the country as of February 28 this year, 34, 843 CKM of the line have been commissioned by joint ventures and private sector enterprises.
As per government statistics, at least 12 power transmission projects being implemented by Power Grid and private TSPs (Transmission Service Providers) in the Inter-State Transmission System are delayed. The Power Ministry has given a fresh timeline of March 2023 to the Power Grid for the installation of a transmission system for the immediate evacuation of power from the Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Project in Assam.
A fresh timeline of August 2022 has also been given to the transmission system for evacuation of power from 2×500 MW Neyveli Lignite Corp. Limited TS-1 (replacement) (NNTPS) in Neyveli in Tamil Nadu, June 2022 timeline for implementation of 500 MVAR Thyristor controlled reactor at Kurukshetra, June 2022 timeline for transmission system for providing connectivity to RE projects at Bikaner (PG), Fatehgarh-II and Bhadla-II.
As per government statistics, a timeline of March 2023 has been given to Goa-Tamnar Transmission Project Limited for an additional 400 kV feed to Goa and an additional system for power evacuation from generation projects pooled at Raigarh (Tamnar) pool, June 2022 timeline has been given to Lakadia-Vadodra Transmission Project Limited for WRSS-21 Part-B transmission system strengthening for relieving over loadings.
