India added 6,586 ckm of transmission lines during the first half (April to September) of FY22. This fell substantially short of the planned target for the period.
According to a recent report by Central Electricity Authority (CEA), India added 6,586 ckm of transmission lines (of 220kV or above) during H1 of FY22. This was just about 45 per cent of the 14,753 ckm targeted for the period.
Shortfalls were seen across all voltage classes. In the 765kV, actual addition in H1 of FY22 was 1,986 ckm as against the target of 4,375 ckm. In the 400kV category, 1,838 ckm was added as against the targeted 3,661 ckm. In the 220kV class (dominated by state government utilities), the actual addition of 2,762 ckm was way below the planned 6,717 ckm.
The performance of Central government utilities was outstanding. In the 765kV and 400kV voltage classes, the actual addition was indeed higher than the planned targets. (See table). In the 220kV class, however, the target achievement was a paltry 5.3 per cent.
It may be mentioned that all the transmission lines commissioned in H1 of FY22 by Central government utilities were by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL). However, the target discussed above may include other entities like Damodar Valley Corporation, etc. While targets for ownership groups are available, individual company-wise targets are not provided in the CEA report.
Most of the transmission lines added by state government utilities were of the 220kV type. Such entities added 2,667 ckm of 220kV lines, as against the target of 5,933 ckm.
Also read: L&T To Build 220kV Transmission Line In Ladakh
The private sector could add 486 ckm of transmission lines while the target was 1,609 ckm. Most of the addition (481 ckm) came from 765kV lines.
For the full financial year, FY22, the targeted transmission line addition by all ownership groups is 19,255 ckm. Given that in the first half of FY22 just about 6,856 ckm has been added, it is rather unlikely that the FY22 target will be attained.
In FY21, however, overall transmission line addition, at 16,750 ckm had surpassed the planned addition of 15,791 ckm. This target, it is reliably learnt, had undergone downward revisions in view of the pandemic-induced lockdown that had adversely affected project implementation.