Odisha sends report to Centre on disaster resilient system

The project to cost Rs 999 cr will be implemented in Ganjam, the southern Odisha district worst hit by the Phailin cyclonic storm

The Odisha government has sent a preliminary project report to the Centre on the disaster resilient power system, to be developed in Ganjam district.

"We have sent the preliminary project report to the Centre. The objective is to help expedite funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which is financing the project. The ADB funds will be routed through the Government of India," said a state government official.

The project to cost Rs 999 crore will be implemented in Ganjam, the southern Odisha district worst hit by the Phailin cyclonic storm. The detailed project report (DPR) for the disaster resilient power system is ready.

Of the total project cost, Rs 280 crore would be spent on transmission, Rs 700 crore on distribution, Rs 11 crore on smart grid and Rs 8 crore on setting up 8 Mw solar photo voltaic (PV) power plant.

The smart grid is a modernised electrical grid that uses analogue or digital information and communication technology to gather and act on information to improve the efficiency, reliability, economics and sustainability of the production and distribution of electricity.

ADB has agreed to provide Rs 615 crore loan for the project. The residual Rs 384 crore will be borne by the state government. The ADB loan is meant for cyclone insulated infrastructure for transmission and distribution of electricity in the coastal zone and also for strengthening river and saline embankments.

Around Rs 300 crore was spent to repair and rebuild the power infrastructure in Ganjam alone where 80 per cent of 33/11 KV lines were damaged due to the Phailin cyclone.