The 765kV Khandwa Pool-Dhule power transmission line is facing challenges in its last leg of completion, an official report states.
The 379-ckm 765kV Khandwa Pool-Dhule double-circuit transmission line passing through Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra is facing land-related obstacles in Dhule, Maharashtra. The project is being implemented under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) route by Khargone Transmission Ltd (KTL), a special purpose vehicle promoted by Sterlite Power.
The project is part of a transmission project meant to evacuate power from NTPC’s upcoming 2×660-mw Khargone thermal power project in Madhya Pradesh.
Last year, the District Collector (DC) of Dhule had raised objection that with the current alignment, the transmission line will pass through the submergence area of the proposed Jamphal Dam in Maharashtra. The DC therefore requested diversion of the line. With the result, work on the project was stopped and this force majeure was communicated to all the long-term transmission customers (LTTCs) concerned. Incidentally, work on the Jamphal Dam is in full swing.
Following the DC’s decision, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), in its meeting of July 29, 2019, had finalized that Khargone Transmission Ltd would need to re-route the line so as to avoid its footprint on the submergence area. CEA also decided that KTL would be completing the line by May 2020, subject to timely grant of forest clearance and approval under Section 164.
According to the latest CEA report, the clearance is still pending with the nodal officer of the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF). Following the COVID-19 outbreak—another force majeure—work on the project currently stands stopped. This force majeure too has been intimated to all LTTCs, the report says.
The project is now scheduled for completion by December 2020.
Of the total length of the 379-ckm line, stringing has been completed to the extent of 350 ckm. Also in terms of erection of transmission towers, work completion is significant. Of the total 492 locations, foundations have been laid in 476 while 474 towers were already constructed, as of August 31, 2020.
Meanwhile, CEA, in its letter of April 2020, has requested DC, Dhule to extend its support towards early completion of the line.
The 765kV Khandwa Pool-Dhule DC line is part of the “Connectivity system for Khargone TPP (2×660-mw)” project. The overall project aims at creating evacuation infrastructure for NTPC’s upcoming 2×660-mw Khargone thermal power project in Madhya Pradesh.
Apart from the 765kV Khandwa Pool-Dhule DC line under discussion, other major components of the transmission system include:
- LILO of one circuit of 400kV Khandwa-Raigarh DC line at Khargone TPP (completed in February 2018)
- 400kV Khargone TPP-Khandwa Pool DC line (commissioned in March 2020)
- 765kV Khandwa Pool-Indore DC line (commissioned in March 2020)
- 765/400kV, 2×1500 MVA Pooling Station at Khandwal (commissioned in March 2020)
The overall project completion therefore hinges on the 765kV Khandwa Pool-Dhule DC line.
(Featured photograph for illustration only)
