500 Cr Fund to Cbe To Strengthen The Power Sub-transmission

Under the Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme initiated by the central government along with the state, Rs 500 crore will be spent in ten towns in Coimbatore region to strengthen and upgrade the power sub-transmission and distribution system.Chief engineer of TANGEDCO, Coimbatore region, A Thangavel said, "The basic objectives of reducing Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses, commercial viability, reducing outages and interruption and increasing consumer satisfaction will be met under the project."

The selected towns include Udumalpet, Coimbatore urban conglomeration, Palladam, Ooty, Cuddalore, Coonoor, Mettupalayam, Pollachi, Valparai and Dharapuram.In Coimbatore urban area the work would be carried out at a total cost of Rs 319.39 crore, which would include construction of the new Sahara substation, erection of a new feeder for a 23 kilometre radius, 545km line strengthening, 350km underground cable works and 712 new distribution transformers. In Udumalpet, the work would be carried out at a total estimated cost of Rs 14.49 crore, which would include laying of the line for 10.9km, strengthening of line for 8.8km and sanctioning of 15 new distribution transformers.

In Palladam, work would be carried out at a total cost of Rs11.2 crore. Additional power transformers will be constructed in Palladam substation at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore. A new distributor would come up at a cost of Rs 8.1 crore. The Ooty town project will see new feeders for 60km and strengthening of line for 18.9km, totalling Rs14.49 crore. In Cuddalore, a new feeder for 32km at an overall cost of 6.6crore will come up. New feeders for 16.25 km and strengthening of line for an area of 8.2km at an overall estimated cost of Rs 9.8 crore will come up in Coonoor.

Similar projects will also come up in Mettupalayam, Pollachi, Valparai and Dharapuram areas.
Programme modernization, extension of life, revamping old thermal and hydel plants, strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution networks (below 33 kV or 66 kV), including energy accounting and metering in the distribution circles, will be undertaken as part of the project works. These measures will help reduce power loss during transmission and distribution, which currently varies between 15 and 20 per cent, depending on the area. "The target to curtail the loss has been fixed at 3% per year. The objective is to reduce loss from 20 to 8 percent in the next few years. These measures would help save approximately 200 MW of power," said Thangavel. If the project fails, the funds will be considered as loans, which has to be repaid along with penalty, he added.

A 250kv substation at a total cost of Rs 45 crore is coming up in Coimbatore. The works would be completed soon, said Thangavel. Another 20 MW micro hydel project is likely to come up in Mettupalayam across Bhvani River, which will be sanctioned by the end of June or July, he concluded.

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