The National Committee of Transmission (NCT) has proposed the creation of five extensive interstate transmission system (ISTS) projects valued at Rs.16,439.87 crore for approval by the Ministry of Power.

Among these recommendations, two transmission systems are slated for the evacuation of power from parts A and B of the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Zone PhIV (Bikaner Complex), with an estimated cost of Rs.11,325.86 crore. The completion of these projects is expected within two years from the project's commencement.

Additionally, an investment of Rs.3,453 crore is projected for the transmission scheme aimed at integrating the Davanagere/Chitradurga REZ and Bellary REZ in Karnataka, with timelines set at 24 and 30 months, respectively.

The other two projects include the integration of Bijapur REZ in Karnataka with the grid and the evacuation of power from Kudankulam nuclear power units 3 & 4 (2x1000 MW) at a cost of Rs.1,113 crore and Rs.548 crore, respectively.

NCT, under the Ministry of Power, has also greenlit three smaller projects, each valued at up to Rs.500 crore, along with capacity augmentation at Karur pooling station in Tamil Nadu, Jam Khambhaliya pooling station in Gujarat, and transmission lines for the integration of Tumkur-II REZ in Karnataka. These projects collectively necessitate an estimated capital expenditure of Rs.890 crore.

These recommendations and approvals were made during the 18th meeting of the committee on 5th March, as documented in the meeting minutes.

The meeting also addressed concerns regarding the operation of the national grid. The Grid Controller's presentation highlighted reliability issues such as low voltage, ICT overloading, and repeated tripping of intrastate lines within the Rajasthan Intra-state Network. Furthermore, it was noted that high-impact, low-frequency events like water logging and floods have affected substations and generating stations.

The committee emphasized the strict adherence to construction standards during the implementation of the transmission system.

The presentation also highlighted that hydro power generation at Teesta in Sikkim III and IV has yet to resume after being halted due to a cloudburst and subsequent damage to the dam last October. "The entire 1,900 MW of hydro generation is yet to be restored," stated the Grid Controller's presentation.

In its preceding meeting, the NCT sanctioned four new inter-state transmission systems (ISTS) valued at Rs.736.83 crore. The government's objective is to achieve a renewable energy capacity of 500 GW by 2030 and integrate it into the grid, aligning with its ambitious energy transition and climate targets.

According to a draft plan released by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), India requires a significant investment of Rs.4.75 trillion by 2027 to develop its transmission infrastructure, including lines, substations, and reactive compensation. The CEA has invited stakeholders' comments and recommendations on its draft National Electricity Plan (Volume II) by 26th March.

Neither battery nor petrol will be spent, AC in the car will run on sunlight

India's Semiconductor Revolution: Chips from Assam, Gujarat to Drive Global Automotive Innovation