Solar energy to get big push in Agency

APEPDCL project to benefit several tribal habitations. The corporation would be coming up with 69 sub-stations in two phases across the five districts in the next two years, at a cost of Rs. 105 crore.

APEPDCL Director (Operations) P. Rama Mohan addressing a press conference on the activities of the corporation in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. He is flanked by CGM B. Ramesh Prasad and Assistant Director survey M. Prasanna Lakshmi. Photo: C.V.SUBRAHMANYAM.

Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Corporation Limited (APEPDCL) is covering 183 tribal habitations in Visakhapatnam district and 11 in Srikakulam with solar photovoltaic power plants as part of its Decentralised Distribution Generation project under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojna scheme, in the next couple of months.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, APEPDCL Director (operations) P. Rama Mohan said that in the first phase 57 tribal hamlets in nine mandals under Visakhapatnam circle were already covered at a cost of Rs. 16.62 crore. “The second phase under which 194 hamlets that will be covered will cost Rs. 44.49 crore,” he said. In the first phase about 1,884 families were benefited and in the second phase about 5,500 families would be benefited.

The corporation requisitioned the services of an assistant director from the Revenue Department to take stock of all the land under the corporation and would be fixing boundaries to protect the assets. The corporation has 647 sub-stations spread across the five districts, covering about 1,250 acres. It also proposes to implement GPS-based vehicle tracking system for monitoring the replacement of DTR at a cost of Rs. 85 lakh.

Mr. Rama Mohan informed the media that construction of three outdoor 33/11KV sub-stations in Srikakulam and three indoor sub-stations in Visakhapatnam was in progress at a cost of Rs. 9.36 crore. Further, the corporation would be coming up with 69 sub-stations in two phases across the five districts in the next two years, at a cost of Rs. 105 crore.

Energy park

The corporation has also called for expression of interest (EOI) to set up an energy park in Visakhapatnam city on BOT basis.

According to Mr. Rama Mohan, a request from proposal (RFP) has been called from bidders to design, develop and install rooftop grid interactive solar photovoltaic power plants at various office buildings of APEPDCL. “We are targeting one lakh sft for generation of at least 1 MW of power. This apart, we have drafted a plan for betterment of our services in nine areas,” said Mr. Rama Mohan. Chief General Manager (Commercial) B. Ramesh Prasad was also present.

Published - June 26, 2014 07:41 pm IST