SUNDARGARH/ANGUL: Seeking to expand India’s power map, foundation stones for two 765/400 KV power grid pooling stations were laid on Saturday in Angul and Sundargarh districts. Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde laid the stones at Phulpara near Angul and at Kenapali in Tangarpali block of Sundargarh district.A total of 9,000 MVA power from various Independent Power Projects (IPPs) would be pooled at Angul and Sundargarh, Shinde said. The sub-station will have 6000 MW transmission capacity and the first phase would be completed in 2013, Shinde said. The pooling centres, being set up by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) form part of the 11 high capacity power transmission corridors planned in different parts of the country in phases.Establishment of these stations would facilitate evacuation of power from new generation units coming up in these districts for power transfer to Odisha.This would also strengthen the inter-connectivity between eastern, western and northern divisions through 765-kv transmission lines being laid from Angul to Sundargarh and onwards to western and northern regions, he said.Shinde said when the Bhedabahal mega power project in Sundargarh comes up, the Sundargarh sub-station would also be directly connected to ultra mega power projects (UMPP). This would improve reliability and security of power transfer to meet its increased demand in Odisha as well as the eastern region, he added.The UPA Government had accorded top priority to power sector and launched an initiative for development of coal-based UMPPs each with a capacity of 4,000 MW, he said. These projects were being awarded to developers on tariff-based competitive bidding.The Minister said three UMPPs of 4,000 MW each will be set up in the State, one at Bhedabahal in Sundargarh district. Another is proposed at Tilaiya in Jharkhand. Odisha has a share of about 1,300 MW, he said, adding, this will be of great help in improving the power supply situation in Odisha. He said, three units of 600 MW each of Sterlite at Sundargarh had been commissioned and Odisha would become a major source of power supply for the country to realise its goal of energy security.PGCIL operated and maintained five 400 KV capacity sub-stations with about 3,000 MVA transformation capacity and about 3,300 circuit km of extra high voltage (EHV) transmission lines.PGCIL today stands as one of the largest transmission utilities in the world known for its performance and execution of projects on schedule. The power situation would improve in Odisha after completion of all the ongoing projects taken up by PGCIL and power would be supplied to almost all villages and BPL families in Odisha under RGGVY.On the demand for jobs to the land oustees, the Minister said the power grid would set up an ITI where the local affected youths would be given training to qualify for jobs in various power plants and industries in the State.
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