Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) has increased its FY25 capital expenditure (capex) target to Rs 180 billion, up from the previous Rs 150 billion, marking the highest capex since FY20.
In the first quarter of FY25, PGCIL achieved a capex of Rs. 4.62 billion and capitalized Rs 2.32 billion, with Rs 1.35 billion from Regulated Tariff Mechanism (RTM) projects and Rs. 972 crore from Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) projects. During this period, PGCIL commissioned 91 ckm of transmission lines and 1,315 MVA of substation capacity.
As of July 26, 2024, PGCIL has Rs 114.14 billion in work-in-hand, including Rs 10.32 billion for ongoing RTM projects, Rs 37.01 billion for new RTM projects, and Rs 66.81 billion for other projects such as TBCB power transmission, smart metering, and data centers.
PGCIL estimates a business opportunity of Rs 207.5 billion by 2032, with Rs 190.5 billion in power transmission and Rs 17 billion in other areas like solar power generation, smart metering, and data centres.
PGCIL has signed an MoU with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to create a “Spatial Decision Support System” for remote management of transmission towers, including a geospatial dashboard and tools for disaster analysis and vegetation monitoring. Additionally, in collaboration with IIT-Kanpur, PGCIL has developed a substation inspection robot that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). Successful trials at PGCIL’s Kanpur substation have paved the way for future deployment of these robots to improve efficiency in transmission system operations.