Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (MSETCL) has planned to build a new substation at Panchvati in Nashik district to meet the anticipated load demand of the upcoming “Nashik Kumbh Mela 2027”.
The proposed 132/33kV substation will be of GIS type with a transformation capacity of 2×50 MVA. With an estimated cost of Rs.150.20 crore, the substation, along with auxiliary transmission elements, is expected to commission by March 2027.
Land for the substation has already been identified near Nashik city and the project site is very close to the Kumbh Mela 2027 load centre.
Termed as “Establishment of 132/33kV Panchvati (Meri) GIS substation, Taluka and district Nashik,” the project was proposed at a recent Maharashtra Transmission Committee (MTC) meeting and has now been ratified by Maharashtra’s Grid Coordination Committee (GCC).
Mode of implementation
It strongly appears that the project will be developed by MSTECL under the regulated tariff mechanism (RTM) route. Though this is a greenfield project, the estimated project cost is less than Rs.200 crore – the minimum threshold project cost for invoking the TBCB mechanism as envisaged in Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission’s Multi-Year Tariff Regulations, 2024. [This threshold value excludes land cost and RI (reinstatement) charges.]
Project background
Currently, a major portion of Nashik city’s load is being met through the 132/33kV Mhasrul and 132/33kV Takali substations. These substations, in turn, are connected to the 132/33kV Satpur (MIDC) substations through single-circuit lines.
The state discom has projected a load demand of 25 MW at Nashik for the upcoming Nashik Kumbh Mela 2027, for tents, streetlights, hospices, etc.
The proposed 132/33kV Panchvati (Meri) GIS substation is expected to meet this load demand, thereby providing load relief to the Mhasrul and Takali substations.
Project elements
The 2×50 MVA, 132/33kV Panchvati (Meri) GIS substation will be connected to the 132/33kV Mhasrul substation by a 132kV double-circuit line, of about 8.6 ckm, on monopole.
The Panchvati substation will be equipped with 2x132kV GIS line bays and 6x33kV GIS outlets. The Mhasrul substation will see the addition of 2x132kV AIS line bays for its connection with the Panchvati substation.
Nashik Kumbh Mela 2027
The Nashik Kumbh Mela is a sacred spiritual congregation that takes place once in 12 years. The most auspicious ritual at this gathering is the holy bath in River Godavari. The event is scheduled to take place between July 24, 2027 and July 24, 2028 (the official closing ceremony), while the holy dips will take place between August 2, 2027 and September 12, 2027.
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