More substations to come up along Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor

Visakhapatnam: The AP Transmission Corporation will construct four substations in Vizag district costing about Rs 580 crore to bolster the power transmission network for the proposed 800-km Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor. These substations would increase the capacity by 1,350 MW and are expected to keep pace with the growing power demand.

The proposed sub-project (Package APTransco/01) involves two 132 KV substations and two 220 KV substations, and related laying of transmission lines of length of 24 km and underground cables of 26 km. Recently, the Asian Development Bank had committed a grant of $631 million for the VCIC and the Centre will provide another $215 million.

The AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation has identified four potential nodes as part of the VCIC – Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Srikalahasti-Yerpedu and Gannavaram-Kakinada. The VCIC forms a vital part of the 2,500-km East Coast Economic Corridor running from Kolkata to Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu.

A total of 10 power substations, including one at Pydibheemavaram in Srikakulam district and some in East Godavari, West Godavari and Krishna districts, would come up in the vicinity of the VCIC. AP Transco superintending engineer, Visakhapatnam, S.V.R. Krishna Mohan, said the proposed substations would improve the voltage profile of the region.

“The proposals are made based on detailed field studies to arrive at the low-cost option of attaining the objectives of the proposed projects and field conditions. While the 132 KV Kapuluppada sub-station is expected to cost about Rs 195 crore, the 132 Ozone Valley Substation may need Rs 205 crore. Two more 220 KV substations would come up at Atchutapuram and Chandanada near Nakkapalli,” Mr Krishna Mohan said.

According to the officials, the erection of these proposed substations would reduce the system losses of about 100 MW in the region besides quality power supply over a wide geographical area. As all the substations would come up on government lands, each site is free from encumbrance.

But the transmission lines may need some private lands. Of the 24 km length of transmission lines proposed, eight km length is proposed on government land. For the remaining 16 km of transmission line, it is estimated that about 48 towers are required to be erected, each occupying about 256 square metres.