India Power Corporation Limited will invest Rs 33 crore towards beefing up infrastructure of power distribution in Gaya and Bodh Gaya.

According to Hemant Kanoria, Chairman, IPCL, the company has submitted an investment plan of “minimum Rs 33 crore” to the Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission (BERC). The investment will look at upgrading infrastructure and induction of new power distribution technology.

“We awaiting a formal approval before we implement the capital expenditure programme,” he was quoted as per a release issued by the company.

The focus, Kanoria maintained, is on industrial requirement for which distribution capacity is being scaled up. This will be followed up by certain changes in network like installation of ‘LT-Aerial Bunch Conductor’, that will ensure quality of power supply, improvements in reliability and safety.

In June 2014, IPCL’s wholly owned subsidiary, India Power Corporation (Bodhgaya) Limited, entered into an agreement with South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (SBPDCL) for a 15-year distribution franchise for supply of power to Gaya, Bodh Gaya and Manpur areas in Bihar.

Kolkata-based IPCL is into electricity generation, transmission, distribution and trading. It has a thermal power plant at Dishergarh (West Bengal) and is setting up a second one in Haldia. The company has wind assets in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka, a solar power plant in Asansol.