Bescom has 24-hr power supply plan for industry

The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom), the state-owned power utility, plans to supply uninterrupted 24-hour power to industrial consumers from next year. The power will be supplied through a separate feeder line once the 700 Mw gas-based power plant is commissioned at Bidadi, about 35 kms from Bangalore, a top official said today.

The Bidadi power station is being built by another state-owned company Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL). The project is likely to be commissioned once the gas pipeline project between Dabhol and Bangalore is completed, said P Manivannan, managing director, Bescom.

“We are waiting for the gas-based plant to be set up. However, the cost of power generation at this plant will be higher due to the high cost of natural gas. Similarly, the cost of power to be supplied to consumers will work out to about Rs 7 per unit and Bescom is planning to supply the power to industrial consumers only at this rate,” he said.

Addressing members of the Bangalore Chamber of Industry & Commerce (BCIC), here today, Manivannan said the Bescom would install a feeder for all industrial estates in and around Bangalore to supply uninterrupted power to industrial consumers. “We will also enter into an agreement with the respective consumers for the supply of power. Once the new gas-based power plant is commissioned, there will be no power cuts for the industries,” he assured.

However, for the domestic consumers a separate tariff structure may be worked out, he said. Manivannan said, the Bescom has earmarked a capital expenditure plan of Rs 960 crore for 2011-12 compared to Rs 350 crore spent in 2010-11, an increase of 2.7 times over last year. The money would be spent mainly to improve network in the city and for modernising the distribution system.

It will expand the smart grid project during the year for an investment of Rs 100 crore. Presently, it is implementing a two-year pilot project at five locations in the city. A smart grid delivers electricity from suppliers to customers using digital technology to save energy, reduce cost and increase reliability.

Bescom is also right now completing the distribution automation system (DAS) during the present year. The objective of DAS is to automate the distribution network for monitoring, supervisory control and operation of the 11 kV network in the Bangalore city. This will also enable uninterrupted power supply among others, he added.