GE completed first phase of Champa-Kurukshetra power super highway

GE T&D India, one of the largest players in the power transmission and distribution value chain, and a part of US giant General Electric (GE), have announced commissioning of the first 1,500 MW phase of the two-phased Champa-Kurukshetra high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission system in Chhattisgarh. The company was contracted by the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PowerGrid) at the cost of about ₹3,000 crore.

The first pole of 1,500 MW power was commissioned in March 2017, while the second pole of same capacity was commissioned this month - four month later than the initial target of June, 2017. The total cost of two-phase project, according to Power ministry, is ₹6,300 crore.

The transmission system will further be upgraded to 6,000 MW capacity with addition of second HVDC bipole of 3,000MW at an additional cost of about ₹5,200 crore. The additional phase is expected to be completed by December, 2018.

Being GE’s first 800 kV UHVDC project worldwide, Champa-Kurukshetra link is a 1,287 km energy highway aiming to transmit power of upto 3,000 MW through HVDC Interconnector Transmission.The power highway will enable transfer of power from IPP generation projects coming up in Raigarh, Champa, and Raipur generation complex in Chhattisgarh to demand centres of Northern region viz. Haryana, Punjab, UP, Rajasthan and adjoining areas.

Transmission efficiency

HVDC is the preferred solution for bulk electrical transmission over long distances as it allows transmitting up to three times more power over long distances than traditional alternating current transmission.The project, according to GE, is globally the first 800 kV scheme to use dedicated metallic return conductors, increasing the system’s reliability.

“As India makes progress towards achieving sustainable, universal access to electricity, an efficient mix of conventional and renewable power, along with strengthening of the inter and intra-state power evacuation system is required,” Vishal Wanchoo, President & CEO of GE South Asia, said commenting on the development. Champa-Kurukshetra line could serve as a model for taking the benefits of the digital grid to the masses, he added.

GE T&D India, formerly Alstom T&D India (GE completed the acquisition of Alstom’s power and grid businesses in over 20 countries in 2015), posted a net profit of ₹61 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 2017, against net loss of ₹197 crore in the year-ago period. Its order intake in the first quarter of FY18 has increased almost 100 per cent to ₹15,811 crore compared to ₹7,956 crore in the Q1 FY17. Overall order backlog reported by the company earlier this year stood above ₹84,000 crore.