Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd is expected to commission 18 ISTS projects awarded under the regulated tariff mechanism (RTM) route, in the remaining period of this fiscal year.
According to information tabled in Parliament, PGCIL, as of August 10, 2023, was executing 31 interstate transmission system (ISTS) schemes under the RTM mode. Out of this, 18 are expected to be commissioned during the residual period of the current fiscal year (FY24), which is by March 31, 2024.
A few of the 18 such projects are:
- North Eastern Region System Strengthening Scheme-XII (NERSS-XII)
- Transmission project associated with Jamnagar petroleum refinery of Reliance Industries
- Eastern Region System Strengthening Scheme-XXII (ERSS-XXII)
- Eastern Region System Strengthening Scheme-XXVII (ERSS-XXVII)
- Evacuation of 500 mw RE in Tirunelveli and Tuticorin Wind Energy Zones in Tamil Nadu
The total current shelf of 31 ISTS-RTM projects of PGCIL is expected to be completed progressively by April 2025.
Since 2014 till around August 10, 2023, PGCIL has commissioned a total of 224 ISTS projects under the RTM route.
It is independently learnt that as of June 30, 2023, PGCIL had works on hand worth Rs.48,700 crore. Of this, nearly Rs.35,900 crore (or nearly three-fourths) related to RTM projects. The remaining, it may be mentioned, related to projects under the tariff-based competitive bidding mechanism.
Ongoing ISTS projects
As of August 10, 2023, a total of 63 ISTS schemes were under execution, the Parliament reply observed. Of these, 32 were being implemented under the TBCB route while the remaining 31 were being executed by PGCIL under the RTM modality (discussed above).
Upcoming ISTS projects
A total 28 ISTS schemes are under various pre-project stages and are expected to see finalization of the developer in the near future. These, according to information available with T&D India, would be mostly awarded under the TBCB route. Some projects SPVs associated with upcoming (not yet awarded) ISTS-TBCB schemes include Rajasthan Part I Power Transmission Ltd, Ishanagar Power Transmission Ltd, Karera Power Transmission Ltd, Jewar Transmission Ltd, Khavda II-D Transmission Ltd and KPS1 Transmission Ltd.
Also read: PGCIL Will Surpass FY24 Capex Target, Says CMD
ISTS projects commissioned
Between 2014 and around August 10, 2023, a total 269 ISTS projects have been commissioned. Of these, 45 were commissioned under the TBCB route, while the remaining 224 were completed by PGCIL under the RTM route. It should be noted that PGCIL executes ISTS projects on both TBCB and RTM basis. Out of the 45 ISTS schemes commissioned so far under the TBCB route, PGCIL accounted for 16. It may be further noted that PGCIL has so far sold off five of these 16 projects to Powergrid Investment Infrastructure Trust (PGInvIT).
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