The substation capacity addition in Q1 (April to June) of FY25 has met only one third of the target, according to latest statistics released by Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
In Q1FY25, a total of 10,260 MVA of transformation capacity was added, which was just 34 per cent of the 30,240 MVA targeted for the period.
Central utilities added 2,815 MVA as against the targeted 6,445 MVA, implying target achievement of around 44 per cent. This entire addition came from Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) that augmented capacity at its Padghe GIS substation Maharashtra by 1,500 MVA, apart from adding a total of 1,315 MVA of transformation capacity at existing 400kV substations.
State utilities added 7,445 MVA of substation capacity, which was just 39 per cent of the planned addition of 18,975 MVA. Private utilities recorded nil achievement as against the planned addition of 4,820 MVA.
From the voltage-class perspective, the maximum addition of 4,790 MVA came from the 220kV (including some of 230kV), followed by the 400kV category where 3,790 MVA was added. The 765kV class saw 1,500 MVA worth of transformation capacity getting added, which was from the Padghe substation discussed above.
ISTS and InSTS
Of the total 10,260 MVA of transformation capacity added in Q1FY25, the interstate transmission system (ISTS) grid saw addition of 2,815 MVA (or 27 per cent of the total addition) while the intrastate transmission system (InSTS) witnessed a much higher addition of 7,445 MVA. At this point, it is important to note that though substation capacity was added to the ISTS network in Q1FY25, there was no transmission line addition in the same period, as discussed in an earlier story by T&D India.
As of June 30, 2024, India had a total transformation capacity of 12,61,340 MVA, coming from substations of 220kV or above. Of this, capacity associated with the ISTS network had a share of 41 per cent while the remaining 59 per cent was related to the InSTS grid.
FY25 versus FY24
It may be recalled that in FY24, substation capacity addition achieved was 7,0728 MVA, which met 90 per cent of the planned quantum. In FY25, the targeted substation capacity addition is 1,16,490 MVA that was mean a significant 65 per cent growth over the actual achievement in FY24.
Also read: Substation Capacity Addition Falls 7 Per Cent In FY24
(This story takes into account substations of 220kV and above, only)
