Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) recently reviewed the petition of “NERES XVI Power Transmission Ltd” seeking grant of transmission licence.
In its order, CERC has found that the petitioner NERES XVI fulfils all conditions required for grant of interstate transmission licence. CERC has now directed the petitioner to issue a public notice seeking comments/suggestions to the grant of transmission licence.
ERES XVI Power Transmission Ltd is expected to submit before CERC any objections/suggestions so received by August 30, 2024, and the matter will be taken up by CERC for next hearing on September 5, 2024.
NERES XVI Power Transmission Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Techno Electric Engineering Company Ltd, won an interstate transmission system (ISTS) scheme termed as “Transmission Scheme for North-Eastern Region Expansion Scheme-XVI (NERES-XVI),” under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) mode.
The project involves, among other things, the setting up of a 400/220/132kV substation at Gogamukh in Assam, with transformation capacity of 1,000 MVA at 400kV level and 400 MVA at 220kV level.
The project is scheduled to commission by November 30, 2026.
Bidding process
Techno Electric won the project quoting a tariff of Rs.490.15 million during the e-reverse auction, getting the better of two others the fray – Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (L2) and Sterlite Power (L3).
Interestingly, Techo Electric’s initial bid was Rs.580 million, which was revised downwards by 15.5 per cent to Rs.490.15 million at the end of the e-RA process. At the final e-RA stage, PGCIL’s bid, at Rs.491.38 million, was just 0.25 per cent higher than the Techno Electric’s winning bid.
Transfer of SPV
As already reported by T&D India, bid process coordinator REC Power Development & Consultancy Ltd formally transferred NERES XVI Power Transmission Ltd to Techno Electric, on May 30, 2024.
Tariff adoption
Meanwhile, CERC has adopted the transmission tariff (Rs.490.15 million per year) of NERES XVI Power Transmission Ltd through a separate order. However, this approval and adoption of the tariff (single annual transmission charge that will remain valid throughout the period covered in the transmission service agreement) is subject to final grant of transmission licence.
NERGS-I
Techno Electric currently has two projects in its ISTS development portfolio. Apart from NERES-XVI discussed in this story, the company won the “North Eastern Region Generation Scheme – I” housed under “NERGS-I Power Transmission Ltd.” The formal transfer of SPV took place on July 30, 2024.
Featured photograph is for representation only
