The forecast is based on estimated generation capacities of about 480.4 GW and annual peak load demand of 225.7 GW by FY22-end.
March 13, 2019
As published in National Electricity Plan (NEP) on transmission by Central Electricity Authority (CEA), about INR 2.7 lakh cr. will be required till FY22 to build the additional electricity transmission system in the country.
The money would be spent on the 1.1 lakh circuit kilometres of transmission lines and 3.8 lakh mega volt amp of sub-stations required to support new generation capacities and make the infrastructure more flexible to accommodate the evolving trends in power consumption.
The CEA has also considered the inclusion of 175GW (60GW wind, 100GW solar, 9GW biomass and 6GW of small hydro) renewable capacity, which is intermittent and unpredictable.
In the FY12-17 period, the country had added 1.1 lakh circuit kilometre of transmission lines and 3.2 lakh mega volt amp of sub-stations.
Apart from state-owned Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL), the requirement opens up opportunity for private transmission companies such as Adani, Sterlite, Kalpataru and L&T. Electricity transmission schemes are implemented either through the tariff based competitive bidding or under regulated tariff mechanism by PGCIL. However, most of the projects are now being tendered through tariff bidding, increasing the scope of private players.
Electricity transmission network between neighboring nations would also require strengthening as power exchanged with these countries through cross border is likely to increase to about 6,950 MW by the end of FY22 from the present levels of 2,550 MW.
