The bidding process for setting up transmission infrastructure related to two upcoming units of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu has begun.
Bid process coordinator PFC Consulting Ltd (PFCCL) has invited requests for proposal (RfP) from potential developers for the transmission project officially termed as “Transmission system under ISTS for evacuation of power from Kudankulam Unit 3 & 4 (2×1,000 MW).”
By current timelines, the last date for submitting response for RfP stands at August 9, 2024.
The ISTS scheme, estimated to cost around Rs.548 crore, is envisaged for completion in 30 months from the date of transfer of SPV. The targeted completion date stands at December 2026.
Background
The transmission system under discussion is associated with the upcoming Unit 3 and Unit 4, each of 1,000 MW, of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd’s Kudankulam nuclear power project (KNPP) in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu. The scheme has dual scope – intrastate and interstate.
The intrastate system falls under the scope of state power utility Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Ltd (TANTRANSCO) while the interstate component is being developed as ISTS scheme, currently being bid under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) mechanism.
The intrastate component will evacuate electricity corresponding to Tamil Nadu’s share in the electricity generation of Unit 3 and Unit 4 of KNPP. The ISTS component will cater to other beneficiary states, all from the southern region.
The ISTS scheme is envisaged for completion in a timeframe aligned to the commissioning of Unit 3 of KNPP.
Project SPV
According to information available with T&D India, PFC Consulting Ltd has not yet incorporated the project special purpose vehicle (SPV) that will house the KNPP evacuation scheme discussed in this story.
KNPP: Expansion plan
NPCIL’s Kudankulam nuclear power project currently has an installed capacity of 2,000 MW, arising from two 1,000-MW units, commissioned in March 2014 and December 2017, respectively. Unit 3 and Unit 4, of 1,000 MW, are currently under construction. NPCIL has also planned to install Unit 5 and Unit 6, also of 1,000 MW each, for which civil construction work has begun.
Featured photograph (source: dextragroup.com) is for representation only.
