Adani Energy Solutions Ltd has won an interstate transmission system (ISTS) scheme in Rajasthan involving use HVDC technology, under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) mechanism.
According to an informed source who did not wish to be identified, bid process coordinator REC Power Development & Consultancy Ltd (RECPDCL) issued the letter of intent to Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL) on December 3, 2024.
The ISTS scheme known as “Transmission system for evacuation of power from REZ in Rajasthan (20 GW) under Phase III Part I” has been housed under project SPV “Rajasthan Part I Power Transmission Ltd,” a wholly-owned subsidiary of RECPDCL incorporated on April 30, 2023. This SPV will be transferred to AESL in due course.
AESL won this project getting the better of three other contenders – PGCIL, Sterlite Power and IndiGrid. It is not immediately known which of these three bidders made it to the final e-reverse auction stage. Details on the winning tariff quoted by AESL are also awaited.
Second HVDC-TBCB scheme
The transmission scheme is significant as it is only the second scheme involving HVDC technology to be awarded under the TBCB mechanism. Last month, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) was formally awarded “Khavda V-A Power Transmission Ltd” that is India’s first HVDC scheme under TBCB mode as well as the biggest ISTS-TBCB scheme ever, in terms of capital outlay.
From PGCIL to AESL
The Rajasthan HVDC project was re-tendered in August 2024 after the previous bidding process was annulled by RECPDCL, for undisclosed reasons. Interestingly, PGCIL has been named L1 bidder in the original bidding process.
Project details
The project straddles Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, and involves the setting up of:
- 6,000 MW, ±800kV Bhadla HVDC terminal station (4×1,500 MW) near Bhadla-III substation, Rajasthan
- 6,000 MW, ±800kV Fatehpur HVDC terminal station (4×1,500 MW) near Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh
- ±800kV HVDC Hexa-Lapwing line with Dedicated Metallic Return (DMR) between Bhadla (HVDC) and Fatehpur (HVDC) terminal stations [Running length: 950 km]
The HVDC infrastructure envisaged in this scheme would be based on LCC (line commutated converter) technology. The envisaged completion timeframe has been set at 48 months for Bipole-I and 54 months (six months after Bipole-I) for Bipole-II.
Though National Committee on Transmission (NCT) has estimated the project cost to be Rs.12,700 crore at the time of deliberations, industry sources believe that the project outlay could be well over Rs.20,000 crore. This could therefore be AESL’s biggest power transmission project in its under-development portfolio.
AESL and HVDC
Though “Rajasthan Part I” is AESL’s first HVDC project under the TBCB route, the private sector group has been closely involved with HVDC-centric power transmission schemes. Way back in 2011, Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (then known as Adani Transmission Ltd) commissioned an HVDC link from Mundra in Gujarat to Mohindergarh in Haryana. This is India’s first HVDC project in the private sector. The ±500kV HVDC link running nearly 1,000 km has a maximum transfer capacity of 2,500 MW.
Besides, AESL is also currently developing an HVDC project in Maharashtra incorporated under “Adani Electricity Mumbai Infra Ltd” that seeks to build an HVDC link of 80 ckm and transfer capacity of 1,000 MW. This project is currently under construction. Both the HVDC projects were awarded to AESL under the regulated tariff mechanism (RTM) route.
KPS III HVDC
Speaking of ISTS-TBCB schemes currently under bidding, there is one more scheme “KPS III HVDC Transmission Ltd” that involves HVDC technology. Bidding results of this scheme, taking shape in Gujarat, are awaited.
Also read: Adani Energy Solutions adds over 2,000 ckm to under-construction portfolio
Featured photograph is for representation only
