The interstate transmission system (ISTS) project housed under project SPV “Powergrid Ramgarh Transmission Ltd” is set to commission soon.
According to a recent report by Central Electricity Authority (CEA), all elements of the transmission scheme are likely to commission by end of September 2023.
The project SPV, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL), is developing an ISTS scheme officially termed as “Transmission system strengthening scheme for evacuation of power from solar energy zones in Rajasthan (8.1 GW) under Phase II – Part A.”
PGCIL won the project under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) mode and acquired the project SPV (originally named as Ramgarh New Transmission Ltd) from the bid process coordinator RECPDCL, on March 9, 2021. The project was then expected to commission within 18 months (around September 2022). However, the project was significantly delayed as the entire project lies in the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) potential area. Project implementation could pick up only after receiving Supreme Court clearance in July 2022.
The project, estimated to cost around Rs.354 crore, involves mainly the following elements:
- A 44-km 400kV double-circuit line from Ramgarh II to Fatehgarh II
- A 50-km 400kV double-circuit line from Ramgarh II to RVPNL Jaisalmer-II
- A 400/220kV New Ramgarh II substation (to be known as Fatehgarh III)
Current Status
As of July 31, 2023, all foundations were laid for the 44-km line. Tower erection was 92 per cent complete, while stringing of around 26 per cent was achieved. The 50-km line was physically complete in all respect and was ready for commissioning. The new Fatehgarh III substation was 90 per cent complete with respect to civil works and around 70 per cent ready in terms of equipment erection. Other ancillary elements like extension of the existing 400kV Fatehgarh-II and 400kV Jaisalmer-II substations were in advanced stage of completion.
Rajasthan solar evacuation
The project forms part of the overall plan of evacuating 20 GW of solar power from potential zones including Bhadla, Fatehgarh, Ramgarh and Bikaner. Of this 20 GW, around 17 GW will be evacuated through interstate schemes while evacuation of 3 GW will be handled by an intrastate transmission network in Rajasthan.
Also read: PGCIL To Commission 18 ISTS-RTM Projects In FY24
PGCIL’s ISTS schemes in Rajasthan
Apart from Powergrid Ramgarh Transmission, PGCIL has won some other ISTS schemes relating to evacuation from Rajasthan solar zones. Some cases in point are: Powergrid Bhadla Transmission, Powergrid Sikar Transmission, Powergrid Aligarh Sikar Transmission and Powergrid Bhadla Sikar Transmission.
Featured photograph is for illustration only.
