The Kharghar-Vikhroli transmission line, being developed by Adani Transmission Ltd (ATL), is targeted to commission by December 2022, according to a recent investor presentation by ATL.
The 400kV double-circuit line in Maharashtra is being developed by Kharghar Vikhroli Transmission Pvt Ltd (KVTPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of ATL. The line spanning 74 ckm and with a power transmission capacity of 1,500 MVA is estimated to cost Rs.1,890 crore, the presentation said.
On January 23, 2021, state regulator Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) granted the transmission licence to KVTPL to develop the Kharghar-Vikhroli transmission line under the build, own, operate and maintain (BOOM) modality for e period of 35 years. The completion date envisaged in the transmission licence is 30 months from the “effective date”, which works out to March 12, 2022.
In June 2020, Adani Transmission Ltd completed the acquisition of the special purpose vehicle Kharghar Vikhroli Transmission Pvt Ltd (KVTPL), incorporated by Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (the grantor of concession).
ATL had won this project through tariff based competitive bidding and had received the letter of intent (LoI) in December 2019.
Project Rationale
This project is critical to Mumbai as the existing transmission corridor capacity is insufficient to carry further power into the city. his project would enable additional power to be brought into Mumbai and would thus help in meeting the future demand of the city.
Project Elements
As per the transmission licence granted by MERC, the 400kV Kharghar-Vikhroli transmission system will have the following components:
- 400kV Kharghar-Vikhroli double circuit (DC) and multi-circuit (M/C) line with bays at Kharghar and Vikhroli (with conductor capacity of 2,000 mw per circuit) along with 400kV bus extension at 400kV Kharghar end.
- LILO on 400kV Talegaon-Kalwa line at 400kV Vikhroli GIS substation, with bays.
- LILO of existing 220kV Trombay-Salsette I & II and 220kV Trombay-Salsette III & IV at 400/220kV Vikhroli substation
- Installation of 1 x 125 MVAR 400kV bus reactor
- 400/220kV GIS substation (at Vikhroli) with 3×500 MVA, 400/220kV interconnecting transformers (ICT).
- Diversion of existing 110kV Dharavi-Salsette line via Vikhroli lines, considering future 220kV upgradation
Second project
The Khargar-Vikhroli line is the second major intrastate project of Adani Transmission Ltd in Maharashtra. In March 2021, MERC granted the licence to Adani Transmission to build a 1,000-mw HVDC line from Kudus in Maharashtra to Aarey in Mumbai. The licence was issued to Adani Electricity Mumbai Infra Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ATL. (Read more).
Eight projects in 2021
According to information available, by end-December 2021, Adani Transmission Ltd is expected to commission eight new interstate transmission lines, all being developed under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) mechanism. The aggregate length of these eight lines is around 3,285 ckm.
ATL portfolio
ATL’s current power transmission portfolio is 17,200 ckm, out of which 12,350 ckm is operational and the remainder is under various stages of development. The overall portfolio includes the under-construction 1,750-ckm Warora Kurnool transmission asset that Adani Group has proposed to take over from Essel Infraprojects.
ATL has targeted to attain a power transmission portfolio of 20,000 ckm by 2022.
(Featured photograph is for illustration only)
