After a very dull performance in FY21, addition of 765kV saw remarkable improvement in the first three quarters of FY22, official statistics suggest.
In the first three quarters (April to December) of FY22, India saw the addition of 3,958 ckm of 765kV transmission lines. This marked a sharp recovery over the same period of FY21 when the addition was practically nil.
The comeback by 765kV lines in FY22 is largely attributed to the revival of awarding interstate transmission lines under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) route. As pointed out in a previous T&D India study, FY21 could not see much progress on the TBCB front owing to the pandemic-induced lockdown. (Read more).
It is also noteworthy that 765kV line addition surpassed that of 400kV and even the 220kV type. In the first three quarters of FY22, 765kV lines accounted for 37.2 per cent of the total addition. [It must be noted that these statistics only look at transmission lines of 220kV or above, which is to say that lines of the “distribution” variety are excluded.]
Across all voltage classes, a total of 10,619 ckm of transmission lines were added in the April-December period of FY22, representing a healthy 17 per cent growth over the 9,094 ckm of lines added in the same period of FY21. The comparable growth in 400kV lines was 27 per cent while 220kV lines evinced a 15 per cent year-on-year increase.
While 765kV lines did not make a mark in FY21, the year did have its share of glory thanks to the commissioning of 800kV HVDC lines. A total of 3,531 ckm of such lines were added in FY21, all arising from the Raigarh-Pugalur HVDC line. However, no HVDC lines were commissioned in FY22, up to December 31, 2021.
Coming back to 765kV line addition in FY22, contributions were made across all ownership groups. While Central government entities (entirely circumscribed by PGCIL) added 2,257 ckm, the private sector made a useful contribution of 1,275 ckm. Even state government utilities (Uttar Pradesh transco, in this case) chipped in with 426 ckm, arising from the sole commissioning of the 765kV Anpara-D to Unmao line.
[Note: The 3,261 ckm of 220kV line addition in FY21 (Apr-Dec) includes 147 ckm of 230kV lines.]
Featured photograph for illustration only
