State power utility Madhya Pradesh Power Transmission Company Ltd (MPPTCL, MPTransco) has newly built a 132kV substation at Karahal near the Kuno National Park buffer zone, an official statement said.
Along with the 132kV substation, a 74-km 132kV power transmission corridor between Shivpuri and Karahal has also been developed. This project, located in Sheopur district, was commissioned with an outlay of Rs.72.28 crore.
The 132kV substation and corridor is backed by a 50 MVA power transformer that will transmit electricity to Kuno National Park and surrounding areas, through three 33kV feeders.
Electricity supply will now be available from a distance of just 18 km, instead of 74 km earlier. This substation will benefit consumers spread over about 45 villages. These include 3,000 agricultural (pumpset) consumers, 4,000 domestic, 8,000 BPL and 245 commercial consumers, among others.
The statement observed that Kuno National Park and its buffer zone used to get power supply from Sheopur, from a distance of 74 km. With the new substation, this area will get supply from the 33kV Sesaipura feeder, from a distance of only 18 km. This new infrastructure is expected to provide uninterrupted quality power to consumers, especially tourism-centric industries.
Benefits of short distance
Before this new substation was commissioned, electricity was supplied through a 33kV feeder from a distance of 74 km that passed through dense forest area and the Kuno National Park reserve area. Due to this, maintaining the 74-km line used to be very difficult. Besides, the line also faced breakdown possibilities during the rainy season.
More than 200 shutdowns taken
For the construction of 132kV Karahal substation, there were many challenges whilst constructing the 132kV corridor from the 220kV Shivpuri substation. To complete this, MPPTCL coordinated with the Public Works Department, Forest Department, Revenue Department and Indian Railways. The project involved connecting more than 10 lines across various voltages – 220kV, 132kV and 33kV – with multicircuit towers, apart from shifting of some existing lines. The project entailed more than 200 shutdowns during the construction period.
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Fifth EHV substation in district
The new 132kV Karahal substation is the fifth EHV substation in Sheopur district following the Sheopur (220kV), Baroda, Vijaypur and Sheopur Kalan (all 132kV) substations. The transformation capacity of Sheopur district now stands enhanced to 320MVA on 220KV side and 558 MVA at the 132kV level.
The new 132kV Karahal substation also happens to be the 414th EHV substation of MPPTCL. The state power utility has a network of 14 substations of 400kV, 88 of 220kV and 312 at the 132kV level.
