The Hindu Business Line : Centre okays 2 transmission projects worth Rs 5,778 cr

The Government today approved two transmission projects of Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) entailing a total investment of Rs 5,778.47 crore.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given its go-ahead to PGCIL's Rs 5,221.23 crore project for strengthening the Western grid.

The CCEA also approved the transmission line associated with NHPC's 520 MW Parbati-III hydropower project in Himachal Pradesh at a cost of Rs 557.24 crore.

"The Western grid project would facilitate drawl and dispersal of power, imported from other regions, to various load centres of the Western region and improve the reliability of the regional grid," the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, told newspersons after the meeting.

The Western grid scheme is being implemented in two parts. While the first part would be executed by PGCIL at an investment of Rs 3,581.40 crore, the second would be implemented through 100 per cent private sector participation at a cost of Rs 1,639.83 crore.

The Western region scheme would be commissioned within 48 months while the Parbati-III transmission line would be completed within 42 months, Mr Dasmunsi said.

NHPC is setting up the 520 MW Parbati-III power project in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. The generation project is scheduled for commissioning in November 2010.