28 February, 2012

The Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB) signed an agreement with Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) to lay transmission lines across the state at a cost of Rs 1,350 crore. The agreement stated that the entire task of laying the 400KVA, 220KVA and 132KVA transmission lines would be completed within 20 months.

The total power generation in the state is expected to shoot up to at least 700 MW by 2013. But even if the state generates more power and set up additional power generating units, it will not be in a position to supply electricity to rural areas and remote districts due to the absence of a proper transmission network.

At present, a number of districts like Palamau, Garhwa, Latehar and Chatra are forced to depend on the transmission network of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh for power supply. Once this new transmission networks will be in place, all parts of Jharkhand will be supplied power by JSEB directly.