Bid process coordinator PFC Consulting Ltd (PFCCL), on March 1, 2024, incorporated two project SPVs for development of as many interstate transmission system (ISTS) schemes.
In a stock exchange communication, Power Finance Corporation Ltd, the holding company of PFCCL, said that PFCCL incorporated the following two project SPVs:
- Bhuj II Transmission Ltd
- Angul Sundargarh Transmission Ltd
Both the project SPVs are wholly-owned subsidiaries of PFCCL and these entities will be transferred to the respective successful bidder that will be selected under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) mechanism.
Bhuj II
Bhuj II Transmission Ltd will be responsible for an ISTS scheme termed as “Augmentation of transformation capacity at Bhuj-II PS”.
According to information available with T&D India, this scheme, estimated to cost Rs.428 crore will have an implementation period of 21 months from the date of SPV transfer.
Among other elements, this ISTS scheme involves augmentation of capacity of the existing Bhuj-II Pooling Station (GIS) in Gujarat by 2×500 MVA, 400/220kV interconnecting transformers, which will be the fifth and sixth at the pooling station.
Angul Sundargarh
Angul Sundargarh Transmission Ltd will develop the “Eastern Region Generation Scheme–I” or ERGS-I.
This scheme aims to support evacuation infrastructure of NLC India’s upcoming 3×800-mw Talibara thermal power project in Odisha. Estimated to cost Rs.413 crore and with a targeted commissioning date of May 2027, the project entails building of a loop-in, loop-out (LILO) of both circuits of the existing 765kV Angul-Sundargarh (two single-circuit) lines at the Talibara generation switchyard.
It is learnt that PFCCL is currently in the process of selecting technical consultants for this project. Bidding closed on February 26, 2024, according to latest information available. It may be mentioned that this is the second time that PFCCL is seeking bids from technical consultants after the first exercise, initiated in January 2024, was rescinded.
Editor’s note
The newly-incorporated “Bhuj II Transmission Ltd” should not be confused with “Bhuj-II Transmission Ltd” that was incorporated, also by PFCCL, for another ISTS scheme “Transmission System for providing connectivity to RE projects at Bhuj-II (2,000 mw) in Gujarat.”
Bhuj-II Transmission Ltd was acquired by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) – the successful bidder selected under the TBCB route – on October 16, 2019 and subsequently renamed to “Powergrid Bhuj Transmission Ltd.” The Rs.645-crore project, commissioned in November 2022 albeit with significant time overrun, involved, among other elements, the setting up of Bhuj-II Pooling Station (GIS) in Gujarat whose capacity is now proposed for expansion by “Bhuj II Transmission Ltd” discussed in this story.
Also read: Project SPV Formed For HVDC-Based ISTS Scheme In Gujarat
Featured photograph (source: Godrej & Boyce) is for representation only.
