The Centrally-sponsored Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) was implemented in over 500 towns in 2021, a government release said.
The release said that during the trailing 12-month period ending October 2021 (November 1, 2020 to October 31, 2021), system strengthening of the sub-transmission and distribution network was completed in over 70 circles covering 500-plus towns pan-India. These works were implemented despite the general pandemic-induced restrictions.
Works under IPDS resulted in the commissioning of 45 new power substations. Besides, capacity augmentation works were carried out in more than 50 existing substations.
With a view to reducing technical and commercial losses on the power distribution side, over 7,000 circuit km (ckm) of underground cables/aerial bunched cables were installed.
Uttar Pradesh was a big beneficiary of underground cabling under IPDS. Such cables were laid in Varanasi, and the Kumbh area in Haridwar. During the period, a major project for laying 1,000 ckm of underground cables in Ayodhya, also in UP, was approved. The project is estimated to cost around Rs.240 crore.
Over 3,000 new distribution transformers were commissioned to improve power supply in urban areas under IPDS during the said period.
The 45 new substations commissioned in the period included GIS substations; some such were installed for the first time in northeastern states and Haryana.
As far as smart grid-related activities are concerned, over 5 lakh smart meters were installed during this period, covering areas in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan, among others.
Incidentally, based on information recently tabled in Parliament, the total population of smart meters (excluding prepaid meters) in India stood at 32.86 lakh, as of December 9, 2021.
Under IPDS, six discoms of smaller towns completed their IT-enablement works aimed at improvement in operational efficiency of the utilities. Besides, five discoms saw completion of ERP systems, during the said period.
IPDS Impact
IPDS, since its inception in 2014, has contributed towards increasing the number of hours of power supply in urban areas to 22 hours per day, apart from improving consumer convenience though various measures including digital payments.
Funds
During the period November 1, 2020 to October 31, 2021, the total funds invested in IPDS stood at around Rs.3,800 crore that included Rs.2,290 crore released as grant by the Union ministry of power. (See related story)
Featured photograph (source: Hartek Power) shows a GIS substation and is for representation only
