Reliance Industries Ltd is among the four bidders that have qualified for an interstate transmission system (ISTS) scheme in Gujarat, housed under “Jamnagar Transmission Ltd.”
This development could potentially establish the entry of Reliance Industries in the interstate power transmission development space.
Reliance Industries is in the fray with three other seasoned players– Adani Energy Solutions Ltd, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd and Sterlite Power.
The Jamnagar transmission scheme has been in the bidding process since January this year. After multiple extensions, bids were finally opened on August 16, 2024 and the initial results were made available only recently. PFC Consulting Ltd (PFCCL) is acting as the bid process coordinator for this scheme that is officially known as “Network expansion scheme in Gujarat for drawl of about 3.6 GW load under Phase-I in Jamnagar area.”
The four bidders are now eligible for opening of initial price bids. This process will be followed by the e-reverse auction (e-RA) routine. The winning developer will be selected on the basis of the final price bids emerging at the end of the e-RA process.
With an estimated outlay of Rs.3,815 crore, as estimated by National Committee on Transmission (NCT), This scheme involves several elements such as: a new 765/400kV GIS pooling station at Jamnagar; LILO of 400kV double-circuit Lakadia-Jam Khambhaliya Pooling Station at Jamnagar (5 km); a 765kV double-circuit line from Halvad to Jamnagar (route length: 170 km), etc. This ISTS scheme, with a gestation period of 24 months, will eventually help in catering to drawl of up to 3.6 GW load in Jamnagar area of Gujarat.
Project rationale
The Jamnagar ISTS scheme aims to enhance the transfer capability and strengthen the transmission network in the Jam Khambhaliya area and to facilitate drawl/injection of power by GETCO (Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation Ltd) as well as by other drawees/RE applicants at the Jam Khambhaliya Pooling Station.
Currently, the 400kV double-circuit Jam Khambhaliya–Lakadia line radially caters to RE applicants and bulk consumers at Jam Khambhaliya end. However, transfer of power (injection or drawl) of more than 1,200 MW through this line results into voltage instability at Jam Khambhaliya end, which limits power transfer capability on the line.
The Jam Khambhaliya Pooling Station discussed above, was developed by “Jam Khambaliya Transco Ltd” – a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL). AESL won this project under the TBCB route and fully commissioned it in November 2022. The project involved setting up of the Khambhaliya GIS Pooling Station with transformation capacity of 2,000 MVA through four 1×500 MVA, 400/200kV ICTs.
Incidentally, capacity augmentation is also taking place at the Jam Khambhaliya PS through another ISTS-TBCB project, currently under bidding, incorporated under “Jam Khambhaliya Transmission Ltd” and for which PGCIL and AESL are the two contenders.
Featured photograph is for representation only
