The Eastern Region System Strengthening (ERSS) – XVIII scheme being developed by Power Grid Corporation of India, under the TBCB mode, is scheduled for completion in October this year.
ERSS-XVIII that aims at improving power transmission connectivity to West Bengal was scheduled for completion in July 2020 but its progress was adversely affected by Cyclone Amphan as well as the COVID-19 lockdown. As per the latest status report by Central Electricity Authority (CEA), work on the project has resumed post-lockdown and completion is scheduled for October this year.
BHEL and Larsen & Toubro are the major EPC contractors for ERSS-XVIII.
It is being implemented by Power Grid Corporation of India, under the tariff-based competitive bidding modality, by the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Powergrid Medinipur-Jeerat Transmission Ltd.
The rationale of the project is that within eastern India, major power generation projects are coming up in the central and western region comprising Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar. However, in the eastern part, accounted for by West Bengal, no major power capacity additions is envisaged.
ERSS-XVIII aims at providing connectivity between the eastern and western parts, within the Eastern Region (ER) of India.
Thus, in order to provide reliable and secure power supply within the eastern region from various future generation sources and also to facilitate power exchange with the neighbouring regions under various operating conditions, it was felt necessary to build a strong transmission network interconnecting eastern and western part of ER.
The major components of the ERSS-XVIII include:
- 765kV double-circuit Ranchi (New) – Medinipur line
- 765kV double-circuit Medinipur – Jeerat (New line
- 400kV double-circuit Jeerat (New) – Subhasgram line
- 400kV double-circuit Jeerat (New) – Jeerat (WBSETCL) line
- LILO of both circuits of Chandithala – Kharagpur 400kV double-circuit line at Medinipur
- 765/400kV substation at Medinipur
- 765/400kV substations at Jeerat
All the components of the project are active under construction. For instance, for the 765kV Ranchi-Medinipur line running 269 km, stringing has been completed for 262 km. There were some forest clearance-related issues that have now been settled. The route was also diverted, involving the construction of three new transmission towers, as permission to fell certain type of trees, perceived as auspicious, was not granted.
Clearance from airport authorities is pending as one of the transmission lines is in proximity to the Kalaikunda Air Force Station near Kharagpur.
It may also be noted that final clearance from Central government aviation authorities is pending as the Ranchi-Medinipur line and the LILO of both circuits of Chandithala – Kharagpur 400kV double-circuit line are in proximity to the Kalaikunda Air Force Station located near Kharagpur in West Medinipur district.
Most of the transmission lines envisaged in the project scope are being constructed by Larsen & Toubro, for which the EPC contract was placed in March 2017. The substations are being built by Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd with the contract placed in September 2017.
Work on all the substations is underway but the Medinipur substation did get stymied by agitation of local tribals. Apart from substations envisaged under this project, state power utility West Bengal State Electricity Transmission Company Ltd is also extending its 400kV substation at Jeerat. This substation was nearly 90 per cent complete with respect to civil works, as of July 31, 2020.
TBCB Projects of PGCIL
Including the ERSS-XVIII project under discussion, Power Grid Corporation of India has seven TBCB power transmission projects under construction. Besides, PGCIL has completed eight projects under the TBCB mode while one project (Vemagiri Transmission System – Package A) awarded to PGCIL was eventually scrapped by CERC.
(Featured photograph for illustration only)
