India could add barely 50 per cent of the targeted power transmission line capacity in FY20, according to statistics recently released by Central Electricity Authority.
As against the planned addition of 23,621 ckm (circuit km) of transmission lines, the actual addition was 11,664 ckm, implying target achievement of just 49.4 per cent.
The shortfall in performance came across all ownership categories but the debacle was most pronounced when it came to state government utilities and private sector companies (including joint venture companies). Central PSUs, accounted solely by Power Grid Corporation of India, did relatively better though its overall transmission line addition target for FY20 remained elusive.
In the 765kV segment, a total of 6,019 ckm of lines were envisaged for addition in FY20. However, the actual addition was barely 3,044 ckm. State utilities did not add any capacity though their target was 958 ckm. Private sector entities were the worst performers having added a paltry 309 ckm in the face of a target of 2,334 ckm. PGCIL did a fairly reasonable job closing FY20 with 2,735 ckm of 765kV lines, indeed higher than the targeted 2,727 ckm.
In the 400kV segment, there was underperformance by all ownership categories. State utilities were the worst with additions clocking just 1,696 ckm as against the envisaged 3,416 ckm.
The 220kV segment is predominantly a state utility-driven endeavour. Out of the total target of 10,804 ckm, as much as 10,023 ckm (or 93 per cent) was to come from state utilities. However, actual addition by state utilities was an abysmal 4,611 ckm. Private companies were looking forward to an addition of 1,143 ckm of 400kV lines. However, actual addition was just about 49 per cent of this target.
It may be noted that during FY20, no HVDC (high-voltage direct current) lines were envisaged for addition. All the aforementioned lines are of the conventional (AC) type.
The longest line to be commissioned in FY20 was the 734 ckm Bikaner-Moga line, with its extremities in Rajasthan and Punjab, respectively. This line was commissioned by PGCIL in March 2020 and aims at power evacuation from solar power plants in Rajasthan. PGCIL, incidentally, also completed two transmission schemes under the tariff-based competitive bidding route. These lines were Chilkaluripeta-Cuddapah (765kV, 577 ckm) and Vemagiri- Chilkaluripeta (765kV, 558 ckm).
[FY20 refers to the financial year 2019-20, from April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020]
