Author: PPD Team Date: 03/03/2025
Two interstate transmission system (ISTS) schemes for augmentation works at the Bhuj-II Pooling Station in Gujarat will now be implemented under the regulated tariff mechanism (RTM) instead of tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB), as Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) remained the sole bidder despite extended bidding timelines.
The National Committee on Transmission (NCT) has approved the shift, with Powergrid Bhuj Transmission Ltd (PBTL), a TBCB subsidiary of PGCIL, set to execute the projects, which have a combined estimated cost of Rs 10.15 billion.
The first project, Bhuj II Transmission Ltd, involves augmenting transformation capacity at Bhuj-II GIS, costing Rs 4.28 billion, with its request for proposal (RfP) issued in April 2024. The second, Bhuj ICT Transmission Ltd, includes ICT augmentation and a bus reactor at Bhuj-II PS, estimated at Rs 5.87 billion, with an RfP in October 2024.
While NCT has cleared Bhuj II Transmission for RTM, the Bhuj ICT Transmission scheme awaits final approval from the Union Power Ministry (MoP) since its cost exceeds Rs 5 billion.
The decision follows a similar shift in Rajasthan, where the Bhadla and Bikaner Complex Transmission Ltd project moved from TBCB to RTM due to a lack of competitive bidding.