Rs 1,500 cr scheme to improve city power system approved

Scheme aims at ensuring stable and uninterrupted supply of power to consumers in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack

The state energy department has secured in-principle nod for its ambitious State Capital Region Improvement in Power System (SCRIPS) scheme planned at an investment of Rs 1,500 crore.

The scheme, aiming at ensuring stable and uninterrupted supply of power to the consumers in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, involves massive overhaul of power transmission and distribution infrastructure.

“The SCRIPS scheme has got the in-principle nod of the government. The scheme would now move to the expenditure finance committee headed by the chief secretary and later to the State Cabinet for final approval,” said an official aware of the development.

Under the scheme, the power transmission and distribution infrastructure has to be revamped.

Since the proposed scheme involves significant investment, the government is planning to avail long-term loans from external donor agencies like Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Under SCRIPS, the energy department will go for smart grid technology. The scheme will also replace the existing radial connectivity in electrical network with ring connectivity to ensure uninterrupted power flow.

A 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.

The SCRIPS scheme also has provisions to go for underground cabling in select areas of the city.

In parallel, a disaster resilient power strengthening system is currently under implementation in Ganjam, the district worst hit by the Phailin cyclonic storm. The project, costing around Rs 1,000 crore is being implemented with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The detailed project report (DPR) was prepared by Bangalore-based Power Research and Development Consultants Pvt Ltd (PRDC).

Phailin that hit the state’s southern coast near Gopalpur on October 12 last year, caused extensive damage to the power infrastructure with almost the whole of Ganjam district plunging into darkness. It took over two months to achieve full restoration of the power infrastructure.

Around Rs 300 crore has been 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 cyclone.

Phailin had battered nearly 1,600 km of 11 KV lines in Ganjam district while 241 km of 33 KV lines were badly damaged. The rebuilding exercise included replacement of 300 distribution sub-stations and 54 extra high tension towers. Besides, 13,000 km of low tension lines had to be repaired.