Tata Power has received transmission licence for its first-ever greenfield interstate transmission system (ISTS) scheme.
In an order dated today (April 15, 2024), Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has granted transmission licence to Tata Power for its ISTS project that it had won under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) route.
The project is officially termed as “Transmission system from Rajasthan REZ Phase-IV (Part 1) (Bikaner Complex): Part C” and is scheduled to be commissioned in 24 months from the date of SPV transfer. The scheduled commissioning date works out to around December 26, 2025.
The project is being implemented by project SPV “TP Bikaner III Neemrana II Transmission Ltd,” a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Power. When incorporated by the bid process coordinator, PFC Consulting Ltd, the project SPV was called “Bikaner III Neemrana II Transmission Ltd,” and was renamed by Tata Power effective April 5, 2024.
It may be recalled that CERC, in its order dated March 21, 2024, had prima facie proposed to grant transmission licence for this scheme. In that order, CERC had directed Tata Power to issue a public notice seeking objections/suggestions and place the same before CERC by April 3, 2024. Accordingly, Tata Power issued a public notice and submitted before CERC that no objections were received.
Tata Power’s ISTS project is estimated to cost around Rs.1,544 crore envisages mainly the following elements:
- A new 765kV Bikaner-III – Neemrana-II double-circuit (2nd) along with 330 MVAr switchable line reactor for each circuit at each end
- Two 765 kV line bays each at Bikaner-III pooling station and Neemrana- II substation
The transmission scheme being developed by Tata Power is part of an overarching project “Transmission system from Rajasthan REZ Phase-IV (Part 1) (Bikaner Complex)” that is being developed through several components using a combination of TBCB and RTM modalities.
Four components Part A to Part D will be developed under the TBCB route. While Tata Power has won Part C, Sterlite Power has clinched Part B. The remaining two components – Part A and Part D – have gone to Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL).
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