The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has announced plans for the development of transmission system to accommodate wind energy aggregating 4,950 MW in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu tendered by SECI.
To this end, CEA, Central Transmission Utility (CTU), Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL), Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO) and Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation Limited held a joint study meeting in June 2018 to discuss the transmission infrastructure for injection of power from 4,000 MW wind energy projects under SECI bids (Tranche I to IV) at Bhuj PS, set to be commissioned by April 2020).
In addition, SECI has written to PGCIL and CTU to set up adequate power transmission infrastructure for 50 GW of solar and 16.5 GW of wind capacity by 2021. SECI has also provided the agencies with tentative tendering plans up to 2021 under its various programs for solar and hybrid projects.
A plan to accommodate 20 GW solar and 9 GW of wind by 2020 has been considered for phase-I of evacuation infrastructure development. The estimated cost for this first phase is Rs 190 billion, of which the estimated average cost of erecting transmission system will be in the range of Rs 6-7 million per MW. SECI informed PGCIL that additional 5 GW of ISTS evacuation capacity will be needed for projects located in high wind zones.
In the phase-II of the capacity addition plan, 30 GW solar and 7.5 GW wind capacity will be added to grid by 2021. For this, the total estimated cost of transmission plan will be Rs 236.5 billion.