An interstate transmission system (ISTS) scheme aimed at integrating renewable energy generation from Andhra Pradesh was recently approved by National Committee on Transmission (NCT).
This scheme, estimated to cost Rs.4,679 crore, will help in evacuation of 4.5 GW of renewable energy from the Anantapur-II Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) in Andhra Pradesh.
NCT has recommended that this project be implemented under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) route and has nominated PFC Consulting Ltd (PFCCL) as the bid process coordinator.
Officially termed as “Transmission System for Integration of Anantapur-II REZ – Phase-I (for 4.5 GW),” this ISTS scheme is envisaged to complete in 24 months from the formal transfer of SPV to the successful developer. As the envisaged outlay of the scheme exceeds Rs.500 crore, it will need formal clearance from the Union power ministry before the formal bidding process is initiated.
Project rationale
It is estimated that transmission infrastructure for evacuating 51 GW RE potential from Andhra Pradesh will need to be created, as part of India’s 500 GW RE target. It is learnt that connectivity applications worth 3.5 GW have so far been received at Anantapur-II REZ, out of which 2.5 GW is at 220kV level and 1 GW is at 400kV. The subject scheme seeks to create transmission infrastructure to meet the current connectivity applications with a provision for more connectivity demands in future.
Project scope
The major element of this ISTS scheme would be the new Ananthapuram-II Pooling Station (4×1500 MVA, 765/400kV and 6×500 MVA, 400/220kV) to be set up near Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. The project also provides for ±300 MVAR STATCOM at the pooling station.
The Ananthapuram-II PS will be connected to the Davanagere PS by a 765kV double-circuit line running about 150 km, and to the Cuddapah substation through a 200-km, 765kV double-circuit line. It may be mentioned that the Cuddapah substation in Andhra Pradesh is owned by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL). The Devanagere PS in Karnataka is coming up through another ISTS-TBCB scheme housed under “Chitradurga Bellary REZ Transmission Ltd” and for which bidding is currently underway with initial price bids scheduled to open by mid-September 2024.
Kurnool REZ
Plans are also underway to develop ISTS infrastructure for evacuation of up to 7.5 GW from Kurnool REZ in Andhra Pradesh, in two phases. This plan would be centered around developing a new pooling station at Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, to be called Kurnool-IV PS (4×1500 MVA, 765/400kV and 4×500 MVA, 400/220kV). Another key element would be a 765kV double-circuit line running from Kurnool-IV PS to Bidar in Karnataka. As this proposed line would be very long – around 330 km of running length – the possibility of “anchoring” this line at a suitable location in Telangana has been proposed. (As Kurnool is a border district of Andhra Pradesh and Bidar is that of Karnataka, much of this line will pass through the intervening state of Telangana.) CTUIL is expected to study the technicalities involved before NCT deliberates on this scheme in a future meeting.
Also read: Major ISTS scheme for Rajasthan RE evacuation planned
Featured photograph is for representation only
