Maharashtra to modernise 1967-era transmission corridor to meet rising demand
The Maharashtra Transmission Committee (MTC) has approved a Rs 2,997.74 crore modernisation of the 220 kV Pedambe-Apta transmission corridor, involving its conversion into a 400 kV multi-circuit network to support rising demand and generation requirements in western Maharashtra.
The project involves construction of approximately 182 km of multi-circuit transmission line and dismantling of the existing 220 kV line. The top two circuits will operate at 400 kV using 0.5 Moose Twin conductor, while the bottom two will use 0.4 ACSR Zebra conductor at the 220 kV level.
The existing Pedambe-Apta corridor was commissioned in 1967 and has exceeded its intended design life. Its modernisation is being planned as transmission requirements increase across Raigad, Ratnagiri and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including nearly 30 Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) aggregating around 9,490 MW in Raigad and Ratnagiri districts.
Future requirements also include industrial development along the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) corridor and Dighi Port, data centre projects in the MMR and the Mumbai 3 (NAINA) project.
Eastern corridor
MTC separately approved Rs 995.52 crore for upgrading the vintage 132 kV and 220 kV Amravati-Karanja-Ambazari corridor in eastern Maharashtra. The existing infrastructure was commissioned between 1968 and 1973.
Under the project, approximately 213 km of existing single-circuit and double-circuit lines will be converted to multi-circuit configurations using 220 kV multi-circuit towers. The upgrade is intended to strengthen a region that currently lacks an alternate strong transmission corridor, resulting in poor voltage profiles and limited contingency support.
MTC also approved Rs 92.23 crore for replacement of 0.2 ACSR conductor with High Performance Conductor (HPC) across 100.6 ckm on the 132 kV Ambazari-Karanja corridors. The reconductoring will support evacuation of more than 100 MW of solar generation and upcoming consumer demand of 51 MW.
Projects costing above Rs 200 crore, including the Pedambe-Apta and Amravati-Karanja-Ambazari upgrades, may be considered for implementation under Section 62 of the Electricity Act, 2003 through the cost-plus route in accordance with Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) Multi Year Tariff Regulations, 2024.
MTC noted that these projects largely involve strengthening, modernisation and upgrading of existing operational corridors forming part of Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited’s (MSETCL) integrated State Transmission System, where practical delineation for implementation through a Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB)/Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) framework may not be feasible.
The featured photograph is for representation only.
