The Hindu Business Line : PowerGrid to rope in pvt firms for new facilities

POWER Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL), the public sector transmission entity, has sought private sector participation in setting up new transmission facilities for evacuation from new power projects. This included setting up transmission facilities from the proposed 2,000 MW IB Valley thermal power station.

Briefing reporters here today, Mr R.P. Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of the PGCIL, said here, "We are prepared to concede management control to the private sector. We are also prepared to assume some risks associated in such ventures."

The investments estimated for setting up a high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission facility from IB Valley is estimated to be upwards of Rs 2,500 crore.

PGCIL is prepared to consider either a 50 per cent JV or a 49:51 JV, he added. PGCIL, he said, was prepared to assume the responsibility of revenue realisation from state-owned utilities and distribution companies, in view of the tripartite arrangements it has with all the States in the country. He also said that PGCIL had proposed another joint venture with Nuclear Power Corporation Ltd (NPCL) for evacuation of electricity from the proposed 6,000 Mwe (megawatt equivalent) nuclear power station at Koodankulam in Tamil Nadu.

PGCIL already has a joint venture with Tata Power for evacuation from the Tala Hydro Electric Project in Bhutan.

PGCIL, he said, would also upgrade the Talcher-Kolar HVDC station from the current level of 2,000 MW to another 500 MW at a cost of Rs 90 crore. This would allow the line to transmit up to 3,000 MW during peak hours and 2,500 MW during non-peak hours.

PGCIL also planned to raise the capacity of the 500 MW Gajuwaka (Andhra Pradesh) HVDC link to 1,000 MW by January 2005, he added.

PGCIL was also exploring the setting up of another link between the western region and the southern region at Kolhapur. The link would alleviate some of the major transmission difficulties faced by the western grid, he said. This would also involve addition of transmission line of at least another 1,600 MW, he added.

PGCIL intended to set up inter-regional transmission networks equivalent to 23,000 MW by the end 2007 and 30,000 MW by 2009 and 50,000 MW by 2014. This, he said, would entail an investment of close of Rs 70,000 crore during the period. It was for some of these projects that private sector participation would be solicited, he added.

Referring to the Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme (APDRP), PGCIL, he said, was prepared to help the States implement the scheme.

Currently, PGCIL is implementing the APDRP in Bihar. Karnataka had also asked PGCIL's help to implement the programme. PGCIL's involvement in the APDRP implementation would enhance the utilisation of the Rs 17,000 crore corpus earmarked for the purpose, he said.

Referring to PGCIL's telecom operations, he said, break-even was expected within the next three years. These operations would be expected to generate surpluses in excess of Rs 300 crore subsequently, he added. Building of carrier capacity between 60 cities was expected to be completed by December this year, when 20,000 km of cabling would be completed.

Currently, about 13,500 km of cabling was already complete. This backbone was already on offer to some of the telecom service providers (TSP) in the country.

Discussions were underway for offering more of this carrier capacity to the TSPs on the most competitive terms, he added.