Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL) has won an interstate transmission system (ISTS) project under the tariff based competitive bidding (TBCB) mechanism.
Bid process coordinator REC Power Development & Consultancy Ltd (RECPDCL) approved the sale of transfer of the project special purpose vehicle “KPS1 Transmission Ltd” to the successful bidder, on March 30, 2023.
Currently, the said project SPV is a wholly-owned subsidiary of RECPDCL, and will now be transferred to MEIL.
KPS1 Transmission Ltd has been entrusted with an ISTS project officially termed as “Transmission scheme for injection beyond 3 GW RE (renewable energy) power at Khavda PS1 (KPS1)”. [PS refers to “Pooling Station”]
According to information available with T&D India, the project, taking shape in Gujarat, is expected to be implemented within a period of 24 months from the zero date, under the build, own, operate & transfer (BOOT) mode, entailing a concession period of 35 years.
The transmission scheme would mainly entail:
- Augmentation of Khavda PS1 (KPS1) by 765/400kV transformation capacity with 1×330 MVAR, 765kV bus reactor and 1×125 MVAR, 420kV bus reactor on second 765kV and 400kV bus section, respectively
- Construction of a 765kV double-circuit line connecting KPS1 and Khavda GIS Pooling Station (KPS2). This line will be established by the bypassing of LILO of one circuit of KPS1-Bhuj line at KPS2 and utilisation of LILO section.
It is further learnt that only three bidders had technically qualified for submission of bids. The remaining two included Sterlite Power and Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL). However, it is not immediately known how many of these two actually submitted their price bids and moved to the e-reverse auction stage.
Third TBCB project for MEIL
According to information available with T&D India, “KPS1 Transmission Ltd” is the second interstate transmission that Megha Engineering & Infrastructures would be developing. MEIL is already developing an interstate transmission scheme housed under “Khandukhal Rampura Transmission Ltd.” The Hyderabad-based MEIL is also developing an intrastate scheme under the project SPV “MP Power Transmission Package-I Ltd”.
KPS2 and KPS3
On the lines of KPS1 Transmission Ltd are two related transmission schemes being developed by KPS2 Transmission Ltd and KPS3 Transmission Ltd. For both these, PGCIL has emerged as the successful bidder.
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