Centralised cell to be set up for efficient management of sale and purchase of power: Sukhu

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government would come up with a policy to attract private sector investment in the hydropower sector and a centralised cell will be set up for efficient management of sale and purchase of power to increase revenue, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Friday.

'Hydropower development is a key engine for the economic growth'

Hydropower development is the key engine to the economic growth of the state as it makes a direct and significant contribution to the economy in terms of revenue generation, employment opportunities, and enhancing the quality of life, he said in a statement issued. It also aims to harness and commission 10,000 MW of hydro and renewable energy by 2030 to have an operational capacity of around 21,000 MW.

Govt was laying special focus on its distribution and sale of electricity

Sukhu said that apart from power generation, the government was laying special focus on its distribution and sale of electricity. The state government is laying stress on prioritising revenue generation for the Himachal Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation Limited (HPPTCL) through its transmission lines.

Corporation has also been asked to speed up its construction works

The Corporation has also been asked to speed up its construction works and reduce the duration of its tender process to maximize revenue and benefit the people of the state, the statement added. The Corporation owns 15 substations and 964 circuit KM lines in the state and has earned an income of Rs 166.99 crore in the last financial year. Furthermore, the income of the Corporation is projected to be Rs. 455 crore by the year 2025.

Corporation is expecting to complete the 6 KM Shongtong-Baspa transmission line

The Corporation is expecting to complete the 6 KM Shongtong-Baspa transmission line within the next 18 months as it is crucial for power evacuation from the 450 MW Shongtong-Karcham hydropower project, which is scheduled to be completed by July 2025. The HPPTCL is also laying focus to ensure adequate transmission arrangements for upcoming projects such as Bulk Drug Park to meet the power demands and power evacuation from solar power projects in Lamlehadi and Pekhubela in the Una district.

To achieve this, a 220/132 KV sub-station and 41 kilometre transmission line from Nehrian to Una will be constructed, the statement said. Apart from this, the Corporation will also make proper transmission arrangements to cater to the electricity demands of the upcoming medical device park in Nalagarh in Solan district and the industrial area at Kala Amb in Sirmaur district.

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