Power boost: Energy panel okays new projects worth Rs700 cr in UP

Power boost is expected from more than a dozen new transmission projects worth ₹660 crore. Also, the ETF gave a nod to increasing the cost of two existing projects by ₹60 crore.

Published on: Apr 5, 2022, 01:25:28 IST

By Brajendra K Parashar, Lucknow

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The Uttar Pradesh government will spend more than ₹700 crore on strengthening the power transmission infrastructure in order to rid people of power outages caused by overloading as well as bring about greater grid discipline in the state, officials in the know of things said.

The energy task force (ETF) headed by chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra approved more than a dozen new transmission projects worth ₹660 crore, apart from giving a nod to the proposal seeking to increase the cost of two existing projects by ₹60 crore, in a meeting, here, on Monday.

“Now, the proposals passed by the ETF will be put before the Cabinet soon for final approval,” a senior energy department official said.

As much as ₹220 crore of the 660 crore is proposed to be spent on installation of the availability-based tariff (ABT) meters at around 4,000 locations, under the Scheduling, Accounting, Metering and Settlement of Transactions in Electricity (SAMAST) project that aims to implement a robust, scalable and transparent framework of energy transactions at the intra-state as well as the inter-state level.

ABT meters that are proposed to be installed within the transmission network are said to be a regime that brings in grid discipline by moving towards planned generation and demand.

“Another important proposal that the ETF cleared is to replace 6,600 km of existing earth wire in transmission lines with optical ground wire to achieve the objective of having access to faster and more reliable communication data with regard to electricity transmission,” the official said.

The ETF also approved a proposal for setting up around half a dozen new transmission substations at different locations in the state. Among them are 220 kv substation in sector 62 in Noida, 132 kv substation in Ramnagar in Barabanki, 220 kv substation on Badaun Road in Bareilly, 132 kv substation in Budhana in Muzaffarnagar and 220 kv substation in Mawana in Meerut.

Apart from sanctioning new transmission projects the ETF gave a nod to a proposal to enhance the cost of two ongoing projects by ₹60 core.

“The construction of new substations will rid the concerned and neighbouring areas from frequent power disruptions due to overloading of the transmission system, even as the demand for power is set to go up in the times to come,” the official pointed out.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brajendra K Parashar
Brajendra K Parashar is a Senior Journalist with the Hindustan Times, based in Lucknow, with nearly three decades of experience covering governance, public policy, politics and development in Uttar Pradesh. Over the years, he has reported extensively on key sectors, including energy and renewable power, mobility and transport, road safety, agriculture and allied sectors and issues related to farmers, rural development, taxation under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and public administration. A seasoned political correspondent, Parashar closely tracks the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has covered every major election in Uttar Pradesh right from three-tier panchayat elections and urban local body polls to Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. He also reports regularly on the proceedings of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature, bureaucracy, governance, policy decisions and administrative developments with focus on their impact on public life. His reporting is known for its strong analytical approach, extensive use of official data. His areas of interests include investigative journalism, long-form political and policy analysis, data-driven reporting, elections and institutional reforms. Parashar holds a postgraduate degree in Political Science with First Division from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), followed by a Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication from the same university. His inclination towards journalism began during his student days, when he regularly contributed letters to editors and articles to newspapers and magazines. In the mid-1990S, his essay, “Should India Switch Over to the Presidential Form Of Government?”, published in Politics India magazine edited by noted constitutional expert Subhash C Kashyap, was adjudged the best entry in a national competition. His work has received professional recognition, including the Hindustan Times Journalist of the Month Award for an impactful series on drinking water issues during the 2010 Lok Sabha election campaign. Originally from Kasganj in western Uttar Pradesh, Parashar is currently based in Lucknow where continues to report on politics, governance and public policy.Read More