April 13, 2012
Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) has chalked out its strategy for evacuating and transferring surplus power being generated in Santhal Pargana region to power-starved Palamau and other eastern parts of Jharkhand. The power grid major of the country is going to make four sub-stations – Daltonganj, Chaibasa, Ranchi and Jharkhand pool – functional by the end of this year for this purpose. It is also going to meet the demand coming from the private power companies which are expecting to generate 2,820 MW of additional electricity in near future.
The company is especially eyeing to set up a bridge through its transmission lines, which have been missing from most parts of the States, in the wake of additional power available through the Independent Power Projects coming in a big way.
“We are trying to build new power substations and pools to evacuate the power generated. Four sub-stations are going to be functional by the end of this year. The PGCIL is receiving great demand for making available the transmission lines from the private companies. It is currently for 2,820 MW by the IPPs. Dumka power station and Jindal have also approached for 2,520 MW and the request is getting scrutinised,” said Ashok Pal, deputy general manager of the PGCIL.
The Government of India enterprise has been appointed as consultant for revamping depreciated transmission lines in Jharkhand and the work has been planned to be completed before 2014, almost simultaneously to most of the upcoming IPP’s start generating power that would be subject to be supplied in the deficient areas. The private plants have entered into agreement with the State Government to make available 25 per cent of the electricity generated by it. A 13 per cent share would be supplied at a fixed price while the rest at variable cost.
“In the years to come, IPPs in the Phase-I would be ready with 2,800 MW and another 2,500 MW in Phase II. Twenty five per cent of it would be immense and we have to be ready to utilise the power,” added Pal.