Private sector entities have met the FY24 target for addition of 765kV transmission lines, within just seven months.
According to latest statistics released by Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the private sector was expected to add 1,659 ckm of 765kV lines in the whole of FY24, against which addition in just the first seven months (April to October) was 1,660 ckm.
Incidentally, all the 1,660 ckm of 765kV lines were commissioned by Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (formerly Adani Transmission). The entire addition, in turn, came from the 765kV Warora-Kurnool interregional transmission line covering Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Meanwhile, the target for 765kV addition in the whole of FY24 stands at 2,076 ckm with Central agencies expected to commission 404 ckm and the state government sector, 13 ckm. This entire addition is expected to come during the period November 2023 to March 2024. During the first seven months (April to October) of FY24, there was no 765kV line addition by either Central or state government agencies.
400kV
Speaking of 400kV lines, the target for the April-October period of FY24 stood at 4,797 ckm, against which actual addition was 2,589 ckm – an achievement of 54 per cent. This overall addition was dominated by PGCIL that added 1,660 ckm, including the 1,102-ckm 400kV Bikaner II PS – Khetri line in Rajasthan. State utilities contributed 506 ckm with the private sector chipping in with 423 ckm. (See table).
For the whole of FY24, a total of 7,326 ckm of 400kV lines has been targeted across all ownership groups, with state government utilities accounting for 3,867 ckm, or 53 per cent. In the first seven months of FY24, barely 506 ckm was added by state utilities against the period target of 1,959 ckm. Going by current trends, a major shortfall in target achievement looks likely, with respect to the performance by state government utilities.
220kV
In the April-October period of FY24, a total of 2,777 ckm of 220kV lines were commissioned, with state utilities accounting for 95 per cent or 2,648 ckm. However, the quantum of 220kV lines added by state utilities fell short of the target by 46 per cent. For the entire year FY24, state government utilities are expected to add 7,130 ckm. Given that less than 40 per cent of the target has been achieved in the first seven months of the year, the pace of project execution needs to accelerate significantly if the target is to be honoured.
HVDC lines
No addition of HVDC lines has been envisaged in FY24, mirroring the situation in FY23.
Performance in FY23
In FY23, a total of 14,625 ckm of transmission lines were added across all voltages and ownership groups. This, in fact, exceeded the target of 14,581 ckm. However, it must be noted that the original transmission line addition target of 21,098 ckm was revised first to 17,863 ckm and then further to 14,581 ckm – implying an overall downward revision of 31 per cent.
Also read: Private Sector To Drive 765kV Line Addition In FY23
Featured photograph (source: KEC International) is for representation only.
