Bid process coordinator PFC Consulting Ltd (PFCCL) has incorporated a project SPV to develop an interstate transmission system (ISTS) project involving the Jam Khambhaliya Pooling Station in Gujarat.
The project SPV “Jam Khambhaliya Transmission Ltd” has been incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFCCL and will be transferred to the successful bidder chosen under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) mechanism.
Bidding for the project is presently underway, and by current thinking, response to the initial bids will be opened on August 16, 2024.
The ISTS scheme housed under “Jam Khambhaliya Transmission Ltd” is officially termed as “Augmentation of transformation capacity at Jam Khambhaliya Pooling Station (GIS).”
Estimated to cost around Rs.310 crore, this scheme involves several transmission elements, most importantly addition of five 1×500 MVA, 400/220kV interconnecting transformers (ICTs), creating of two 220kV bus sections, development of new 220kV line bays, etc. The number of ICTs at the Khambhaliya PS post-commissioning of the project would stand at nine.
The gestation period of the overall project is around 21 months from the date of transfer of project SPV “Jam Khambhaliya Transmission Ltd” to the successful bidder currently under selection.
The project aims to support enhanced renewable energy injection from solar and wind farms in the Dwarka and other RE-rich regions of Gujarat into the Jam Khambhaliya Pooling Station.
RTM to TBCB
It is important to note that the existing Jam Khambhaliya Pooling Station in Gujarat was developed by “Jam Khambaliya Transco Ltd” – a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL). The project was won by AESL under the TBCB route and was fully commissioned 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. Besides, one 1×500 MVA, 400/220kV ICT at Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd’s (Tata Power subsidiary) Mundra switchyard and a 38-ckm double-circuit 400kV line extension was also part of the project.
It was earlier decided that the augmentation scheme housed under “Jam Khambhaliya Transmission Ltd” would be awarded to Jam Khambaliya Transco Ltd (JKTL), under the regulated tariff mechanism (RTM). In fact, a letter to this effect was also issued to JKTL. However, the National Committee on Transmission (NCT) later decided to revoke the earlier plan and develop the augmentation scheme under the TBCB route.
Also read: SPV Incorporated For Bhadla Pooling Station TBCB Project
Featured collage (source: adanienergysolutions.com) relates to the Jam Khambhaliya Pooling Station in Gujarat.
