In a recent order, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has granted transmission licence to “KPS3 Transmission Ltd” that is developing an ISTS scheme, awarded under the TBCB route.
KPS3 Transmission Ltd was incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of bid process coordinator REC Power Development & Consultancy Ltd (RECPDCL) and was subsequently taken over by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) after it emerged as the successful bidder under the tariff based competitive bidding (TBCB) mechanism.
PGCIL has since renamed the project SPV to “Powergrid KPS3 Transmission Ltd.”
The project SPV will be developing an ISTS scheme envisaging establishment of Khavda Pooling Station – 3 (KPS3) in Khavda Renewable Energy Park in Gujarat.
KPS3, by current thinking, will cater to around 9 GW of renewable energy generation coming from the Khavda RE Park where total evacuation of 30 GW has been envisaged.
The main components of the KPS3 transmission scheme include:
- The 765/400kV, 3×1500 MVA GIS Khavda Pooling Station -3 (KPS3) with 1×330 MVAR 765kV bus reactor and 1×125 MVAR 400kV bus reactor
- A 765kV double-circuit line connecting KPS2 and KPS3
- Two 765kV line bays at KPS2, for project element #2
Bidding process
In the initial stage, six bidders put in their financial bids – Adani Transmission (L1), Sterlite Power (L2), PGCIL (L3), Dineshchandra R. Agarwal Infracon Pvt Ltd (L4), Juniper Green Transmission (L5) and Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (L6).
Of these, the first four were eligible to participate in the e-reverse auction (e-RA). However, only PGCIL and Adani Transmission ultimately submitted their bids in the e-RA stage. PGCIL clinched the project with a final bid of Rs.75.529 crore as being the levelized annual transmission charges. Adani Transmission’s final bid was Rs.75.719 crore, just 0.25 per cent higher than PGCIL’s winning bid.
It is interesting to note that PGCIL that was L3 in the initial bidding stage had put in a quote of Rs.101.305 crore. Thus, PGCIL revised its own bid downward by as much as 25.4 per cent during the e-RA rounds.
Also read: CERC Adopts Tariff For Khavda RE Transmission
Other KPS projects
On the lines of the KPS3 project, PGCIL is also developing KPS2 while KPS1 has been awarded to Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Ltd.
Featured photograph (source: Godrej & Boyce) is for representation only.
