With the Central Government sanctioning funds under the Restructured Accelerated Power Development Programme (R-APDRP), underground cabling project of the Central Power Distribution Company (CPDCL) in the GHMC area has received a major fillip.
The government has approved funding of Rs.806.78-crore—25 per cent of it as grant and the rest as loan from Power Finance Corporation-- for strengthening of the distribution network in the Hyderabad Urban Agglomeration(HUA), towards meeting an expected demand of 3520-MVA by 2015.
Sharing the details, CMD of the company M.T. Krishna Babu said an additional 25 per cent of the loan will be converted into grant if the company succeeds in reducing the aggregate technical and commercial losses to below 15 per cent. As of now, the losses hover around 19 per cent.
Major works proposed under the scheme with PFC as nodal agency include installation of sixty-four 33/11-KV substations in HUA, underground cabling of 630 kilometres of 33-KV lines and 240 kilometres of 11-KV lines, and aerial-bunching of 55 kilometres of 11-KV lines. New 11-KV lines of 1614 kilometres, re-conductoring of 200 kilometres, erection of 3339 additional distribution transformers and 3000 kilometres of low tension lines are other important components of the three-year project.
Replacement of 3.8 lakh metres and shifting of 5.62 lakh metres outside the houses are the measures proposed to reduce theft and commercial losses.
With successful completion of this project, all the 33-KV lines in the city will be sent underground at a cost of Rs.120-crore, Mr. Krishna Babu said. However, the overhead lines will be retained wherever there is sufficient margin, and used for alternative supply in case of breakdowns, he said.
The company has also received a sanction of Rs.134.17-crore—90 percent grant-- for automation of the substations network under Part-A of the scheme.Introduction of GPS survey for identification of customer location, preparation of comprehensive customer database, and establishment of integrated customer care centre for HUA are part of the scheme.
