Tata Power Proposes New 400 KV Transmission Corridor For Mumbai To State Regulator
The project will require an investment of Rs 600-700 crore over the next 4-5 years.
Tata Power Co. has proposed to set up a high voltage 400 KV line corridor for Mumbai to the state electricity regulator. The proposed transmission line aims to cater to the city’s growing electricity demand by increasing its power capacity.
The transmission and distribution company expects the new transmission line to increase Mumbai's internal transmission infrastructure that is built on 110 KV and 220 KV transmission lines.
The new internal transmission infrastructure will help the city fetch double its capacity from the two 400 KV transmission lines that are being set up by Adani Transmission Ltd.
Adani Transmission is setting up two 400 KV double-circuit line in Maharashtra from Kharghar to Vikhroli, and a second line from Kudus to Aarey Colony.
In the absence of high voltage transmission lines within the city, the efficiency and reliability will be affected, Sanjay Banga, president of transmission and distribution at Tata Power, told reporters while talking about the T&D firms' preparedness for the summer of 2023.
Mumbai's current demand is around 3,500 MW that is met by 110 KV and 220 KV lines. "With 400 KV lines, Tata Power can source double that capacity on single wire from outside Mumbai. It can even bring up to 15,000 MW of power on the same lines," Banga said.
According to Banga, the project will entail an investment of Rs 600-700 crore over the next 4-5 years. "Once the approval is received, it will take four to five years for the project to be fully operational."
The transmission line will be in the form of a ring with two hemispheres of 30 km each. If one hemisphere fails, the other will act as a backup, Vishwas Shrikhande, chief of transmission at Tata Power said.
The transmission line will cover the entire Mumbai region, which will then be connected with the high voltage transmission corridors that are being set up by Adani Transmission, and the new ones that will come up.
Tata Power will also revamp its 110 KV lines to 220 KV at a cost of Rs 200 crore. The total length of 110 KV line is around 800 circuit kilometers. The 220 KV lines, which is around 400 ckm, will remain at few places while the rest will be revamped to 400 KV, said Nilesh Kane, head of distribution division at Tata Power.
The company is also spending Rs 500 crore annually to replace the old substations, switchgears, and infrastructure such as towers to keep them up to date in order to avoid technical faults, Banga said.
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