The Uttar Pradesh government is going all out to realise its ambitious plans to add 10,000 mw by the end of the 11th Plan and augmenting another 8,000 mw by 2014. In fact, the state-owned Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (UPRVUN) has decided to set up two new projects in the state with a combined capacity of 910 mw.
Through these measures, for the first time Uttar Pradesh is making concerted efforts to realise its dream of being a power surplus state within next few years. But even as a power generation road map has been cleared, it is not sufficient to plug the generation side of the problem. For, the transmission network needed to evacuate the power from the respective power stations to the sub stations, from where it will be further distributed, is in a quandary.
The Uttar Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation (UPPTC), which is the nodal body for all transmission work, has planned to set up around 200 substations of various capacities, ranging from 132 kv to 765 kv in the 11th Plan period with a whopping investment of Rs 20,000 crore. Of this, work worth Rs 7,800 crore will be done on the PPP basis, while rest of the expenditure will be borne by the UPPTC itself.
But according to a source, the major hurdle in front of the department?s efforts to set up substations is land acquisition. ?Acquiring land for these sub stations is proving to be very hard and efforts are on to expedite the process,? UPPTC managing director Narendra Bhushan said.
The two new projects, being set up by UPRVUN in the public sector in Panki and Harduaganj, entail an estimated cost of Rs 48,000 crore. While the Harduaganj unit will produce 660 mw power, Panki will produce 250 mw. It would take the two units approximately four years to be commissioned.
The proposal for setting up the new project has already been cleared by the Energy Task Force (ETF), headed by the state chief secretary and a final proposal is being prepared to be sent to the state Cabinet for approval.
Speaking to FE, Alok Tondon, managing director, UPRVUN said that the two new units would be in addition to the existing thermal power plants located in Panki and Harduaganj. While the existing Panki plant is generates 210 mw of power, Harduaganj generates 220 mw of power.
?Once we get the Cabinet?s approval, we will commence work on the projects. While the 250 mw Panki project will entail an investment of Rs 1,300 crore, the Harduaganj unit will set up at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore,? he said.
According to sources, the expansion of these projects would be easier as the land and water linkages are already available at both the project sites, while only the coal linkage has to be put in place.
Meanwhile, at a UPPPTC meeting presided by Bhushan decided to frame new ?technical specifications? required to set up automated substations. It was also decided that a departmental team would study the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd substations and see if they used more advanced automation technology, so that action could be taken accordingly.
Seeing the unprecedented power crisis faced by UP, the state government has decided to step up power generation in the public sector in addition to the private sector?s efforts. According to an official of the energy sector, while 70% of the investment would come via loans from Power Finance Corporation, 30% would be the state government?s equity.