OPTCL to execute Rs 11,471 cr projects

State owned power transmission utility Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (OPTCL) hopes to execute projects worth Rs 11,471 crore by 2017-18.

The projects include 214 new grids and lines to be taken up at a cost of Rs 10,666 crore, Rs 403 crore on operations & maintenance Capex, Rs 200 crore on four telecom infrastructure projects, Rs 62 crore on IT upgradation and civil projects worth Rs 140 crore. The IT projects include ERP (enterprise resource planning), e-governance, business analytics, IT security, smart grid and automation. OPTCL's ongoing projects on grids and lines include four 400 KV lines, 18 220 KV lines and 37 132 KV lines at a total cost of Rs 1,713.68 crore. For the Puri Nabakalebar festival due by July this year, OPTCL is implementing four distribution projects valued at Rs 309 crore. The projects - primary sub-stations, open trench cabling, aerial bunched cabling and joist pole erection have been awarded to engineering major Larsen & Toubro (L&T). OPTCL will also build three transmission lines in Puri, Konark and Shamuka for the Nabakalebar festival at an investment of Rs 141 crore.

OPTCL is also going ahead with the Odisha Distribution System Strengthening Project (ODSSP) being implemented at a cost of Rs 2,553 crore.

Under the project, 544 new sub-stations will be established in the state. While the rural component of the project would be merged with the Centre's Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGY), the urban area projects will continue as usual.