Power producers face evacuation problem
Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 25
Independent power producers (IPPs), whose projects are nearing completion in the interior Chamba district, are worried over the evacuation of power as the state electricity board has failed to put in place the required transmission network.

About a dozen projects are fast nearing completion in Bharmour and Tisa areas and three of them will be commissioned over the next six to eight months.

The entire power generated from these projects has to be wheeled out through the Bathri substation (132/33 kv) but it has already exhausted its capacity of 32 MVA.

It is evacuating power from Tarela-I, Tarela-II and upper Tarela, each of 5 MW, 1 MW Manjhin, 3 MW Holi, 2 MW Sal, 5 MW Sahu and 1 MW Bhuri Singh projects.

The board plans to build a 220/132/33 kv substation at Karian but work has not started on it so far.

Even if the work starts immediately, it will take a minimum of 30 months to construct the substation.

In the meantime, projects with aggregate generation capacity of over 60 MW will be completed for which there will be no system for evacuation of power.

The immediate problem will be for 5 MW Tarela-III, 5 MW Chirchind and 12 MW Joiner project which will be commissioned over the next six to eight months.

Other projects likely to be completed over the next two years include 5 MW Balsio, 5 MW Duneli and 5 MW Bilij.

Since the local demand for power is minimal, the entire power has to be evacuated for distribution in other parts of the state and even outside.

Engineers point out that the only way out is to upgrade the capacity existing substation of Bathri substation.

The two 16 MVA 132/33 kv transformers should be replaced with 32 MVA capacity transformers to double the capacity.

Since capacity upgradation can be carried in about six months, the required transmission system will be in place by the time the projects are commissioned.

Simultaneously, work on the Karian susbstation should be started immediately and the project be completed on a war footing.

The foundation stone of the project was laid about a year ago but work has not commenced so far.