Bangalore: To ensure a quality power supply system, the State Energy department has taken up system upgrading at a cost of Rs 5,100 crore.
Speaking to reporters after the board meeting of Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) on Tuesday, to approve works for system augmentation, Energy Minister D K Shivakumar said the board had approved 224 projects, which include the construction of substations of various capacities.
“The work has already begun on 21 substations of 220kV capacity, 29 substations of 110kV capacity and 24 substations of 66kV capacity. There are also several 220kV lines, 100kV lines and 66kV lines whose work has already started,” he said.
Stating that the Rs 5,100 crore worth of works will also include construction of three substations of 400kV capacity at Gulbarga, Chikkanayakanahalli taluks and Bellary district, at an estimated cost of Rs 3000 crore, he said more emphasis was laid on construction of 110kV and 66kV stations to ensure power is supplied to every nook and corner of the State.
Pointing out to the proposed capacity addition in the State, including a super-critical thermal power station by the National Thermal Power Corporation at Kudgi near Bijapur, Shivakumar said Rs 100 crore had been earmarked to draw 220kV transmission lines to evacuate power from the generating stations.
“The Power Grid Corporation of India Limited is constructing a 765/400/220kV station at Kudgi. A 600-km 765kV line will be drawn to connect the new grid with the southern grid, along with a receiving station near Tumkur.
The KPTCL’s proposed lines will help draw power from these stations as well as from North Eastern states,” he explained.
Grid security
Citing the incident of grid failure in North India on July 30, 2012, which resulted in a blackout for two days in the region, Shivakumar said that a sum of Rs 77.46 crore will be utilised for grid security as a precautionary to avoid such incidents.
Green power
The power sector has also decided to create infrastructure to evacuate green power.
Accordingly, three substations of 400kV capacity will be set up at Dhoni in Gadag district, Mughalkod in Belgaum district and Jagalur in Davangere district. Two 220kV stations and transmission lines are also planned at Shivanasamudram near Mysore and Hosadurga in Chitradurga at a cost of Rs 1,100 crore.
Shivakumar said a soft loan of 40 per cent will be obtained from Germany for the works. Another 40 per cent will come from the Ministry of Non- conventional Energy and the remaining 20 per cent will be contributed by the State government, he said.
