Author: PPD Team Date: 13/03/2025
The National Committee on Transmission (NCT), in its most recent meeting, has planned a new transmission scheme to address high power flow on the Western Region-Northern Region (WR-NR) corridor.
Representatives from Central Transmission Utility of India Limited (CTUIL) highlighted the persistent high loading of the 765 kV Vindhyachal-Varanasi double-circuit (D/C) line, particularly during peak demand in Uttar Pradesh (UP).
This heavy load is leading to real-time violations of WR-NR Available Transfer Capability (ATC), restricting Northern Region (NR) states from drawing additional power from the Western Region. In case of inadequate internal generation, this could force NR states into overdrawal or load shedding.
Further, under an ‘N-1’ contingency, where one circuit of the 765 kV Vindhyachal-Varanasi D/C line is unavailable, the remaining circuit could face overload during high NR imports. To mitigate this risk, “Inter-regional (NR-WR) Transmission System strengthening to relieve the loading of 765 kV Vindhyachal-Varanasi D/c line” has been developed to manage the critical loading of this corridor and facilitate power transfer for upcoming Pump Storage Projects (PSPs) in Uttar Pradesh.
The project was recommended for implementation under the TBCB (Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding) route with PFCCL (PFC Consulting Limited) as the Bid Process Coordinator (BPC).
The Inter-regional NR-WR Transmission Strengthening Scheme has an estimated cost of Rs 23.68 billion and is planned for completion within 24 months from allocation. Its key components include the establishment of a 765 kV Prayagraj Substation with 2×330 MVAr bus reactors, the Line-In-Line-Out (LILO) of the 765 kV Fatehpur–Varanasi single circuit (S/C) at Prayagraj over approximately 15 km, and the LILO of the 765 kV Fatehpur–Sasaram S/C at Prayagraj over approximately 14 km. Additionally, the project involves constructing a 765 kV Vindhyachal Pool–Prayagraj double circuit (D/C) line spanning about 220 km, with switchable 330 MVAr line reactors, and bypassing the 765 kV Sasan–Vindhyachal Pool double single circuit (2×S/C) line over roughly 1 km to form the 765 kV Sasan–Prayagraj D/C line.
This initiative is a step towards ensuring grid stability and seamless power transfer across regions.