The National Committee on Transmission (NCT), in its next meeting scheduled for March 5, 2024, is expected to deliberate on upcoming interstate transmission system (ISTS) schemes, together expected to cost over Rs.16,000 crore.
Most of the schemes are related to evacuation systems associated with renewable energy projects. The largest of the RE-evacuation projects coming up for discussion would be that associated with the Bikaner solar energy complex in Rajasthan.
Officially termed as “Transmission system for evacuation of power from Rajasthan REZ Phase-IV (Part-3: 6 GW) [Bikaner complex],” this ISTS scheme is expected to cost around Rs.11,300 crore.
This scheme was already discussed and agreed during a recent meeting of the Northern Regional Power Committee (NRPC). The project was also extensively deliberated in a joint meeting involving Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), Central Electricity Authority, GRID-India, and several state transmission utilities of north India.
It is learnt that one of the key aspects to be deliberated about this scheme is whether it should be implemented in two phases or three. The mode of implementation, whether TBCB or RTM (regulated tariff mechanism) will also be discussed.
REZs in Karnataka
The focus of interstate renewable energy-evacuation schemes now appears to be shifting to south India with most RE-based evacuation schemes over the past few years being largely concentrated in in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
The upcoming NCT meeting will be deliberating on at least three ISTS schemes, with a combined cost of over Rs.4,300 crore, in Karnataka. These would involve evacuation systems from renewable energy zones in areas like Davangare, Chitradurga, Bellary and Bijapur.
Nuclear power
One ISTS scheme dealing with transmission systems for Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd’s Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu (Unit 3 & Unit 4, 2×1,000 mw) is also expected to come for deliberation. The scheme is expected to cost around Rs.550 crore.
Latest NCT meeting
As already reported by T&D India, NCT, in its most recent meeting held on January 31, 2024 approved one scheme under the TBCB route and three others under the RTM mode.
Also read: NCT Approves Three ISTS Projects Under RTM Route
Featured photograph (source: Hitachi Energy India) is for illustration only.