Power transmission capacity for Kashmir increased by 70%: Sterlite Power

The 414-km-long Northern Region Strengthening Scheme by Sterlite Power will ensure reliable access to power for the Valley

Power transmission capacity for the Kashmir Valley has increased by 70 per cent with the commissioning of the 414-km-long Northern Region Strengthening Scheme (NRSS) by Sterlite Power, a company official said.    

The NRSS-29, with a project cost of Rs 30 billion, connects the northern grid to Jammu and Kashmir and would enable power transfer of 1,000 Mw to the Valley, Sterlite Power CEO Ved Mani Tiwari told reporters in Srinagar on Thursday.

He noted that there was only one line for power transmission network which connected the Valley with the northern grid.

"Now, you have two and the capacity to bring in power has increased 70 per cent. So, 70 per cent more electricity can be brought to the valley and we have made this possible," Tiwari said

"The project was started on August 4, 2014, and we completed it on August 8 this year. So, it has been commissioned two months ahead of the deadline given to us. It was a very challenging project, but it will ensure reliable access to power for the Valley," he said. 

Tiwari said the transmission line is 414 km long route-wise and has a length of 880 circuit km, having about 1,200 towers -- one of them at a height of 13,000 feet.

He said about 10,000 people from the state were employed by the company during the peak construction of the project.

Sanjay Johri, COO Sterlite Power, said the company has tied up with a helicopter company to inspect the transmission line in the Valley, especially in the winter months when the routes become inaccessible.

The NRSS-29 is one of the largest private sector transmission projects awarded in the country, Tiwari said, adding that it is critical for meeting the power requirements of the state, especially Kashmir, which suffers massive load-shedding during winter when electricity demand rises sharply and generation from hydel-power plants dips.