CCEA approves two projects of Power Grid Corporation

New Delhi, July 13: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved two projects of the Power Grid Corporation-- Rs 5221.23 crore Western Regional System Strenghtening Scheme- 1 and Rs 557.24 crore Transmission System associated with Parbati-111 Hydro Electric Project.

"The Western Regional System Strenghthening Scheme is to be commissioned within 48 months from the date of investment approval", Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told newspersons here.

The total cost of the project can be broken into-- Rs 3581.40 crore including Interest During Construction (IDC) of Rs 250.62 crore to be implemented through the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) and Rs 1639.83 crore, including IDC of Rs 129.80 crore, to be implemented through 100 per cent Private Participation by an Independent Private Transmission Company (IPTC).

The transmission system associated with Parbati-111 Hydro Electric Project is to be completed within 42 months from the date of investment approval matching with the commissioning of generation project.

"The transmission project would facilitate evacuation of power from Prabati-111 Project and further dispersal to various beneficiaries of Northern Region," Mr Dasmunsi said.

The National Hydro-Electric Power Corporation (NHPC) is setting up 520 MW Hydro Electric Power Generation Project at Parbati-111 in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. The Generation Project is scheduled for commissioning in November, 2010. Mr Dasmunsi said all the constituents of Western Region are beneficiaries of the Western Region System Scheme. This transmission project would facilitiate drawl and dispersal of power, imported from other regions to various load centres of Western Region and would also improve the reliability of Western Region Grid.

In addition, these links would also strengthen the capacity of the proposed National Grid.

UNI