New substations, upgrades to end power woes in city
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Reason: Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL) will soon set up new substations and augment the existing ones to address the problem of overload.
In all, Chennai and Kanchipuram regions will get 30 new 33/11kV substations, while 20 existing substations will receive additional power transformers to increase their handling capacity. This is part of the modernisation plan under the revamped distribution sector Scheme (RDSS).
Avadi, Tambaram corporation areas, and other suburban areas will also benefit from the additional substations.
TNPDCL will soon float tenders to set up 133 substations of 33/11kV capacity across the state, as REC Ltd has come forward to fund the modernization project at the cost of 1,509cr. TNPDCL officials said the work will be completed in a year in the city. While new substations will be set up at the cost of 1,320cr, substation augmentation work will be carried out at 189cr, said TNPDCL chairman J Radhakrishnan.
Currently, there are 789 33/11kV substations in the state, and the number will cross 900 with the additional substations.
TNPDCL director A Mascurnas said the areas where overload problems were identified and reported, were chosen to set up the substations. The project was among the key issues discussed at the review meeting of TNPDCL officials held in the city on Wednesday. The tender for the substations will be on a turnkey basis for faster implementation.
During the last assembly session, then electricity minister V Senthil Balaji said that 18 new 33/11kV substations will be set up and 26 existing substations would be upgraded.
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