Power Grid Corporation of India has won the project of INR 1.4 billion per annum to establish a transmission system for the evacuation of solar power in Rajasthan.
July 17, 2021
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has granted a transmission license to Bikaner-II Bhiwadi Transco, a special purpose vehicle of Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL), to establish a transmission system strengthening program. This is designed for the evacuation of power from solar energy zones in Rajasthan (8.1 GW) under Phase II-Part F, on a build, own, operate, and maintain basis.
In May 2020, Power Finance Corporation had incorporated five SPVs as wholly-owned subsidiaries of PFC Consulting. The five SPVs included Bhadla Sikar Transmission, Sikar-II Aligarh Transmission, Khetri-Narela Transmission, Bikaner-II Bhiwadi Transco, and Ananthapuram Kurnool Transmission.
Watch: Wire & Cable India News Roundup
In fact, the first four mentioned were initially started for strengthening transmission systems for the evacuation of power from solar energy zones in Rajasthan (8.1 GW each) under the second phase (Parts E, G, D, and F) of their respective transmission programs. The Ananthapuram Kurnool Transmission Limited was established for developing transmission systems at Ananthapur (2.5 GW), and Kurnool (1 GW), in Andhra Pradesh.
The bid process coordinator, Power Finance Corporation Consulting, had conducted competitive bidding and PGCIL emerged as the successful bidder with the lowest levelized transmission charges of INR 1.4 billion (USD 18.70 million) per annum.
In June 2021, PGCIL had acquired two transmission projects – Fatehgarh Bhadla Transco Limited and Sikar New Transmission Limited – under Phase II, Part-B, and C of the ‘transmission strengthening program’. Each of the projects is started with the objective to evacuate 8.1 GW of power from solar energy zones in Rajasthan.
Also Read: Srinagar-Leh Transmission System Transferred to PGCIL
In March 2020, CERC gave transmission license to Powergrid Bhuj Transmission Limited, a subsidiary of PGCIL, to build transmission systems for 2 GW of renewable energy projects in Gujarat.
