Rs. 7,700cr Delhi power plan unveiled

In order to avoid the frequent blackouts and power outages that plagued Delhi this summer amid scorching temperatures, power and coal minister Piyush Goyal said Sunday that a Rs. 7,700 crore blueprint has been readied for the Capital to prevent a similar crisis in the future.

In order to avoid the frequent blackouts and power outages that plagued Delhi this summer amid scorching temperatures, power and coal minister Piyush Goyal said Sunday that a Rs. 7,700 crore blueprint has been readied for the Capital to prevent a similar crisis in the future.

The Delhi blueprint is part of a larger Rs. 75,600 crore plan by the NDA to build up transmission infrastructure in urban and rural areas across India for affordable and round-the-clock power supply.

On the sidelines of a press meet to mark 100 days of Modi-led government, Goyal said state-specific plans to provide 24x7 power to Delhi, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh were already complete and ready for implementation.

For Delhi, Goyal said a nine-month and a three-year plan have been made that includes underground cabling, procurement of emergency restoration systems, smart metering and strengthening of transmission lines that will enable the city to import more power in times of a crisis.

New Delhi constituency in Power demand in Delhi this June had peaked at 5,800MW while only 5,300MW was available. This caused frequent power cuts. Demand is expected to cross 6,000MW next summer.

“Comprehensive state-specific plans for 24x7 power are being prepared in partnership with respective states encompassing generation, transmission and distribution,” Goyal said. “My government inherited a crisis-ridden power sector where outages are more of a norm than an exception.....but we are committed for 24x7 power for all homes within five years,” the minister said, adding that similar plans for the rest of the states are also being readied and as many as 18 states have already come on board with the Centre for the 24x7 power plan.