Landmark Initiatives Towards Achieving 24x7 Power for All

YEAR ENDER 2014 - POWER

With an objective to provide 24x7 power across the country by 2019, the government has taken several landmark decisions for generation of power, strengthening of transmission and distribution, separation of feeder and metering of power to consumers. Special focus was given to north east by giving approval to the north eastern power system improvement project and comprehensive scheme for strengthening of transmission and distribution in the north eastern states. In the reform and restructuring front, various amendments are being brought in the Electricity Act and Tariff policy. For the power sector, the methodology for e-auction of coal blocks will be completely transparent , encourages greater competition and efficiency and optimizes power tariffs.

      Comprehensive state-specific action plans for 24x7 power to all homes is being prepared in partnership with respective states, encompassing generation, transmission and distribution. The power ministry has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Andhra Pradesh government under its `Power for all` initiative that aims to cover the entire state by October 2016. Plans for Delhi & Rajasthan are already complete and ready for implementation. For other states are being readied.

The commissioning of one 765kV Raichur-Solapur transmission line by POWERGRID in December,2013 and synchronous interconnection of Southern Regional (SR) grid with the rest  of the grid was achieved, accomplishing the long cherished dream of ‘One Nation-One Grid-One Frequency’. The second circuit of 765kV Raichur – Solapur transmission line implemented through Private Sector Participation has been completed on 30th  June 2014 with active  guidance from POWERGRID. With both the 765 kV transmission lines now in operation, the interconnection has helped achieving a pan-India synchronous grid of 249GW and one of the largest synchronous operating grids in the world.

A National Smart Grid Mission is going to be launched to address key issues of Smart Grid Initiatives on a large scale in the country and to make the Indian Power infrastructure cost effective, responsive and reliable. A 20 year Prespective Plan for integrated inter-regional , inter-state and intra-state transmission network for the country as whole has been formulated. This will be a crucial backbone for the vision of 24x7 power for all homes in India.

  The details of the major initiatives of Ministry of Power to achieve “24 x7 Power for all”  in the country are as follows: Clickhere

 Source:PIB

OIL commissions its 1st 5MW solar plant

India’s second-largest government-owned exploration firm, Oil India limited (OIL) recently commissioned its first 5 MW solar power plant at village Raghwa in Ramgarh district of Rajasthan.

OIL, which till now was engaged in building only small solar power plants for captive use, built and commissioned its first grid-connected 5 MW unit within a span of 118 days. Chairman and Managing Director, S K Srivastava, inaugurated the plant.

The 5 MW solar power plant was set up with polycrystalline technology and the cost of setting it up was Rs 41.49 crore. In all 20,408 solar modules, each having a capacity of 245 watts, have been installed at the site. The overhead transmission line of 11.49 km has been built to enable the feeding of power generated power to the grid.

The company is also mulling to expand this particular unit by another 9 MW. OIL Director (HR and Business Development) N K Bharali said there exists tremendous potential for solar and wind energy projects in Rajasthan and OIL is looking to tap them. He added that the 9 MW solar power plant expansion will be accomplished by 2015.

Source:Energy next

President signed Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Ordinance to facilitate e-auction of coal blocks

New Delhi, December 26

President Pranab Mukherjee signed two key ordinances on Friday, clearing the way for the auction of coal blocks that were ordered cancelled by the Supreme Court, and for a hike in foreign equity cap in the insurance industry from 26 percent to 49 per cent.

The legislations for the two measures could not be taken up in the Rajya Sabha as the Opposition did not allow the Upper House, where the government is in minority, to conduct business during the last few days of the winter session that ended on Tuesday.

A Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, decided to issue the two ordinances so as to send a strong signal that the government will pursue reforms and would not  allow disruptions in parliament to come in the way, an official said.

The ordinance on coal is necessary for the government to hold auctions for the blocks that were ordered cancelled by the Supreme Court, while that on insurance will operationalise the reforms in the sector, the bill for which was okayed by the Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha.

“With the repromulgation of the ordinance on coal, the unfinished process of allocations can begin again,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said after the cabinet decision, adding that reforms will not be halted if the opposition does not cooperate.

The government has, in fact, moved quickly on the coal auctions.

A day after the cabinet approval for the allocation of coal blocks, a web portal was formally launched for e-auction of 24 coal mines which will be held in February. Soon after, the tender documents were also released.

“Twenty-four blocks are being put up for auction in the first stage. The process will benifit the common man. Power tariff will not go up, I assure you, because in this case it will be reverse bidding, and tariffs will come down,” Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goel said.

On insurance, the industry expects the upward revision in the foreign equity limits to result in an additional capital infusion of around Rs.50,000 crore ($8 billion) by 2020. This apart, it is also expected to help in increasing insurance penetration that is abysmally low now.

The Indian insurance sector has 52 players -- 28 in non-life business and 24 in life. — IANS

Source:The Tribune

Arun Jaitley Lays Foundation Stones of Two Power Sub Stations & Dedicated One Sub-Station to the People in Delhi

Union Minister for Finance, Corporate Affairs & Information and Broadcasting Shri Arun Jaitley laid the foundation stone of two power sub-stations and dedicated one sub-power station to the people in Delhi today. The 400 kV sub-station of POWERGRID at Rajghat, 220k V substation at Preet Vihar of Delhi Transco Limited and Harsh Vihar substation of Delhi Transco Limited will significantly improve power availability in Delhi. 

The function was presided over by Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State(IC) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy. Shri Maheish Girri and Shri Vijay Goel, both Members of Parliament were present at Rajghat & Preet Vihar while Shri Manoj Kumar Tiwari, Member of Parliament was present at Harsh Vihar. Senior officials of Ministry of Power, Delhi Power Department and CMD POWERGRID were also present at the foundation laying ceremony. 

On these occasions, Shri Arun Jaitley appreciated the efforts of Ministry of Power for establishment of these 3 sub-stations for Delhi with the help of POWERGRID which will prove to be a milestone in strengthening of Delhi power scenario and provide 24x7 power supply to its residents

Presiding over the functions, Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State(IC) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy said that various projects are being implemented by the Government for strengthening the power system in Delhi. After implementation of these schemes Delhi residents will no longer need to depend on their diesel generators and invertors for power supply. He announced that Five Lac LED lights will be installed in Delhi with an approximate cost of Rs.500 Crores. These schemes will also help Delhi in reducing the overall power consumption. He also added that in the coming time Delhi consumers will be able to select their power service provider as per their suitability in terms of services. 

These substations will be built with state-of the-art technology and will cater to the power demand especially to Central, East and North Delhi. 

Considering the importance of reliable power supply to Delhi, Ministry of Power took the initiative to mitigate the problems in transmission & distribution of electricity it was emphasized that a very strong Inter State Transmission System alongwith 400/220KV Grid Sub-stations in and around Delhi are required to be established to ensure secured transmission network with adequate transformation capacity

In order to facilitate handling of increasing quantum of power with reliability, four nos. of 400/220kV substations along with associated 400kV transmission network under ISTS are being implemented within the periphery of Delhi to import power from various sources outside Delhi. These ISTS (Inter State Transmission System) 400/220 kV substations are planned to be established at Rajghat, Tughlakabad, Karampura and Papankalan by POWERGRID. 

Presently many 220 kV s/s of Delhi are being fed from single source, implementation of above scheme shall provide alternate source, which shall improve reliability of power supply. Thus, with the creation of the above four 400kV S/s planned for commissioning by 2016-17, there would be strong infeed around Delhi which can take care and reliably meet the load demand of Delhi. 

Besides above, development of intra – state network in Delhi has also been planned and taken up for implementation by DTL for absorption of power in reliable manner. The intra state system planned include 220/ 33 kV GIS s/s at Preet Vihar, Papankalan III, Rajghat , Tughlakabad and Karampura besides reconductoring of existing lines and establishment of new lines by Delhi Transco Limited. 

Source:PIB