Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) has been named successful bidder for an interstate transmission system (ISTS) scheme in Karnataka, under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) mechanism.
In a brief stock exchange notification, PGCIL said that it has been named successful bidder for an ISTS project officially termed as “Transmission Scheme for Solar Energy Zone in Bidar (2,500 MW), Karnataka” on Build, Own, Operate & Transfer (BOOT) basis.
The Letter of Intent (LoI) has been received by Power Grid Corporation of India Limited on January 5, 2024, the filing said.
The scope of the project comprises establishment of new 765/400/220kV substation at Bidar, a 765kV double-circuit transmission line and associated bays extension works at other existing substation in the states of Karnataka and Telangana, the filing added.
According to information available with T&D India, the bid process coordinator (BPC) for this project is REC Power Development & Consultancy Ltd (RECPDCL) and the project SPV that will develop this project is “Bidar Transmission Ltd.”
Post technical bids, PGCIL was qualified to submit its financial bids alongside two other contenders – Sterlite Power and Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd.
The major project components entailed by this transmission scheme include:
- A new 3×1500 MVA (765/400kV), 5×500 MVA (400/220kV) pooling station at suitable border location near Bidar in Karnataka with 765kV (1×240 MVAR) and 400kV (1×125 MVAR) bus reactor
- A 765kV double-circuit line between the upcoming Bidar PS and the existing Maheshwaram GIS substation of PGCIL in Telangana
- Two 765 kV GIS line bays at PGCIL’s Maheshwaram GIS substation
Project Objective
The Bidar transmission scheme will help in evacuation of 2.5 GW renewable energy from Bidar area in Karnataka. This is part of the 18.5 GW of RE potential identified in renewable energy zones (REZ) in the southern region including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Second TBCB win for PGCIL
The Bidar transmission scheme represents the second win for PGCIL in 2024. On January 1, 2024, PGCIL received the LoI for an ISTS scheme termed as “Transmission system for evacuation of power from REZ in Rajasthan (20GW) under Phase-III Part D – Phase I” on Build, Own Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis. The Letter of Intent (LoI) dated December 29, 2023 was received by PGCIL on January 1, 2024. The scope of the project comprises establishment of two 765kV double-circuit transmission lines traversing in Rajasthan and Delhi along with associated bays extension works at existing substations located in Rajasthan and Delhi. According to information available with T&D India, this scheme is housed under project SPV “Sikar Khetri Transmission Ltd.”
Featured photograph for representation only.