The National Committee on Transmission (NCT) has directed Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to finalize the transmission resource adequacy (RA) plan for Karnataka soon.
The need for this RA plan arose when an interstate transmission system (ISTS) scheme to augment transformation capacity at the Bidar Pooling Station in the state, came up for discussion. This augmentation has been necessitated by the growing applications for ISTS connectivity at the pooling station by renewable energy (RE) generators.
Karnataka is of the opinion that if ISTS connectivity is granted, the state might fall short of RE power in its intrastate grid. Karnataka is planning to add 33.1 GW of RE capacity (both solar and wind) by FY35, out of which 19.3 GW is targeted to come up by FY30.
If this entire RE capacity is connected to the ISTS network, then the state might fall short in meeting its RE obligation. Further, Karnataka might also face difficulty in harnessing RE power for its energy storage projects (both pumped and battery).
In view of this, NCT has directed CEA to prepare and finalize the transmission resource adequacy plan of Karnataka that will primarily factor the quantum of RE capacity to be integrated in the state grid. NCT will accordingly plan ISTS schemes for the remaining RE capacity coming up in the southern state.
The Bidar PS augmentation scheme, in discussion, will involve putting up 2×500 MVA, 400/220kV ICTs (the 9th and 10th) as well as 1×1500 MVA, 765/400kV ICT (the 5th) at the Bidar PS. Suitable line bays will also form part of the project.
Bidar Pooling Station
The Bidar PS is under construction through an ISTS-TBCB scheme “Powergrid Bidar Transmission Ltd,” a TBCB subsidiary of Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd, and is scheduled to commission by February 2026. Under this the Bidar PS will have 3×1500 MVA, 765/400kV and 5×500 MVA, 400/220kV ICTs, to enable connectivity of 2,500 MW RE capacity at 220kV level.
Further, PGCIL recently won “Bidar Transco Ltd” an ISTS-TBCB scheme where the Bidar PS will see further augmentation by 1×500 MVA, 765/400kV and 3×500 MVA, 400/220kV ICTs, to be commissioned by February 2027.
Following the commissioning of the two ISTS-TBCB schemes, the Bidar PS will have four ICTs of 1500 MVA, 765/400kV and eight ICTs of 500 MVA, 400/220kV, together helping provide connectivity to around 3350 MW of RE capacity.
Featured photograph (source: Amp Energy) is for representation only
