Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) is set to win an overwhelming majority of the TBCB-based constituents under the “Transmission System for Rajasthan REZ Phase IV (Part 2: 5.5 GW) (Jaisalmer/Barmer)” ISTS scheme.
The overall scheme has been divided into seven components with each component being developed as an independent ISTS scheme under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) modality.
Of these seven components, formal transfer of SPV has taken place in six, and PGCIL has won four out of these. Further, PGCIL was very recently declared successful bidder for one more component (Part H1) though the formal SPV transfer is pending.
It is now learnt that PGCIL is in the fray with two other players Adani Energy Solutions Ltd and Sterlite Power for the seventh component (Part F) — the last for which results are awaited.
Thus, PGCIL will be associated with five components, a number that potentially go up to six depending on the results of the seventh TBCB component.
The overall project “Transmission System for Rajasthan REZ Phase IV (Part 2: 5.5 GW) (Jaisalmer/Barmer)” has been divided into nine components denoted as Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D, Part E, Part F (F1 & F2), Part G, Part H1 and Part H2.
Of these, Part H2 will be developed under the regulated tariff mechanism (RTM) mode while Part G has been put on hold owing to issues related to potential Great Indian Bustard (GIB) habitations in the project area covering Fatehgarh and Bhadla. This leaves seven components will be developed under the TBCB modality.
Of the seven TBCB components, as discussed above, PGCIL has formally won four (Part B, Part C, Part D and Part E) and has been declared successful bidder for Part H1. Results for Part F are pending.
On a technical note, it was earlier planned that there would be two independent components — Part F1 and Part F2. Later, it was decided to merge the two in a single component, which is why the component is technically referred to as “Part F (by clubbing F1 and F2)”.
The only developer outside PGCIL in this scheme so far is Apraava Energy that has won Part A.
The RTM component – Part H2 – is a very small project, estimated to cost less than Rs.1 crore, and has been allotted to India Grid Trust (IndiGrid). Part H2 involves minor augmentation work on the 765kV Bhopal-Indore line developed a part of an ISTS-TBCB project by “Bhopal Dhule Transmission Company Ltd,” which is now owned by IndiGrid.
The seven TBCB components are estimated to together cost well over Rs.20,000 crore and will have a co-terminus implementation timeframe of 24 months.
The scheme, in its entirety, seeks to create evacuation infrastructure for 5.5 GW of solar energy from Rajasthan, especially from upcoming generation facilities in the Jaisalmer and Barmer regions. While the overall project is largely Rajasthan-centric, there are some components (such as Part H1) that are geographically located in Madhya Pradesh. This, in turn, has happened due to a revision in the project scope, which led to the transferring of some transmission schemes, earlier associated with the Western Region development plan, into this project.
