Technology for automated sub-stations
The World Bank has signed a US$310 million Loan Agreement for Jharkhand Power System Improvement Project to provide reliable, quality, and affordable 24×7 electricity in the state.
The loan was signed with the Jharkhand State Government and the Indian Government on 20 Nov 2018.
The $310 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a 5-year grace period, and a final maturity of 25 years.
The Jharkhand Power System Improvement Project will help build new power transmission infrastructure, as well as put in place systems to improve the technical efficiency and commercial performance of the state power sector utilities.
The Project will help bring in modern technology solutions such as automated sub-stations, and network analysis and planning tools to provide reliable power supply and enhance customer satisfaction.
While a significant portion of the proposed investments are aimed at improving power transmission infrastructure, the Project will also focus on developing institutional capacities of State-owned power transmission and distribution companies and improving their operational performance.
The Project is part of the Indian Government Power for All program launched in 2014.
The plan envisages addition of over 4.5 GW generation capacities by 2022 (including a significant share of 1.5 GW from solar energy), through a mix of Private and Public-sector investments.
Some of the major components of the project include construction of new substations and transmission lines, primarily at 132kV voltage level; provide support to the Jharkhand Urja Sancharan Nigam Limited (JUSNL) in setting-up systems for strengthening the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC) operations including financing software solutions for improving scheduling and dispatch functions.
This will help integrate renewable energy in the State grid.
The Project will also support smart meters, with two-way communication and backend IT infrastructure, deployed in select urban towns. These meters will not only reduce technical and commercial losses, but also improve peak load management.
The meters are expected to provide consumers with better access to data which will encourage them to reduce their electricity consumption. To begin with, the Project will finance smart metering for around 350,000 consumers in the capital city of Ranchi.
“Implementing such a large program and improving the financial health of the sector, requires deeper institutional development of its power transmission & distribution utilities,” said Amol Gupta, Energy Specialist and Kavita Saraswat, Senior Power Engineer and World Bank’s Task Team Leaders for this project.
“Hence, one of the key elements of the current project will be to support institutional strengthening of the State-owned utilities in the areas of procurement, contract implementation, financial management, and commercial operations among others,” they said in a press release on 20 Nov 2018. fiinews.com
