Delay in forest clearances hampering power transmission

Forest clearance is one of the major impediment in timely development of power transmission system in the country, a government panel said today.
"Forest clearance being major impediment in timely development of transmission systems. Power Ministry may be approached to take up the matter with concerned states to facilitate development of much needed transmission system," said a Sub-Committee of Central Advisory Committee (CAC) on Congestion set up power sector regulator CERC.
The sub-committee, which was set up by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) in July 2014, has submitted its report in June this year. However it was mandated to submit report within two months.

The panel headed by former Power Secretary R V Shahi said that the gap between TC (Transmission Capacity) and ATC (Available Transmission Capacity) attributable to states should be found and needs to be communicated to them through appropriate discussions with the states.
According to the committee, it is required to mitigate transmission congestion due to inadequacy of state network and delay in commissioning of generating unit.
It also said that the gestation period of transmission being generally shorter than generation, transmission planning needs to be sensitive to dynamic conditions unfolding in regard to generation.

It suggested that a mechanism should be institutionalised, by involving consultants to provide first hand information in regard to status of implementation of generation and transmission projects in the states.

This mechanism would provide realistic data about gaps in execution so that one could navigate and re-plan. Central Transmission Utility (CTU) should constitute a group for this purpose and conduct meetings every six months to monitor gaps in execution and replan accordingly.
The panel said that all possible measures to enhance transfer capability such as converting single circuit line to double circuit, upgrading 220 kV system to 400 kV, strengthening of existing towers, re-conductoring and Loop in-Loop out of existing lines be studied by CTU.
It said that the operational feedback by State Load Dispatch Centres to State Transmission Utilities be made mandatory through appropriate regulations.