Latest news with #BESCOM


Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
India's first solar-powered, second-life battery integrated EV charging station is in Bengaluru
The country's first solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging station integrated with second-life battery storage was launched at the BESCOM EV Hub Charging Station here on Tuesday. The pilot project, Renewable Energy to Electric Vehicle (RE2EV), which marks a major milestone in clean energy and green transport infrastructure , was inaugurated by Karnataka's Energy Minister K J George. George noted that the integration of solar energy with second-life batteries ensures sustainable, grid-independent operation and improved charging access in a high-demand transit zone. According to a press release issued by Delta Electronics India , supplier of the nine DC fast chargers for RE2EV, a 45 kWp rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system feeds into a 100 kWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) made up of repurposed batteries. These batteries, added the press release, although can no longer be used in vehicles, retain enough capacity to store and discharge energy efficiently. The hub, situated near the airport, is capable of charging up to 23 vehicles simultaneously. The project has been developed under the Green Urban Mobility Innovation Living Lab and supported by GIZ India, BESCOM, and DULT, as part of the SUM-ACA ( Sustainable Urban Mobility - Air Quality, Climate Action, Accessibility) initiative, stated the press release. Karnataka has over 5,880 EV charging stations across the state -- 4,462 of which are in Bengaluru Urban district -- and 140 new chargers added this year alone, added the release. Information on the RE2EV hub, like location, availability, and rates, can be accessed via BESCOM's "EV Mitra" app.


News18
4 days ago
- Automotive
- News18
Bengaluru Launches Solar EV Hub With 23 Charging Points And Battery Reuse Tech
Last Updated: The construction of an EV charging hub near the airport has been done keeping in mind the cab drivers and the public who use EVs to travel between the airport and the city. A solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging station was unveiled near the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on June 2. Touted as the first of its kind, the solar energy is stored in old car batteries at this EV charging station. The construction of an EV charging hub near the airport has been specifically done keeping in mind thousands of cab drivers and the general public who use EVs to travel between the airport and the city. Energy Minister KJ George inaugurated the facility in the presence of Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, BESCOM Managing Director Dr N Shivashankar, B.A.S., and other officials. Speaking at the event, the energy minister said that this is the first EV station in India to be powered by second-life batteries. 'This large-scale EV charging hub, developed through a partnership between Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) and the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), can charge 23 vehicles simultaneously. At this station, solar energy is stored in old car batteries. Solar power generated during the day is stored using this battery system and supplied to electric vehicles around the clock," he explained. The energy minister added that the Karnataka government is fully committed to supporting the growing demand for Electric vehicles in the state and expanding charging stations and related infrastructure. 'Karnataka's EV policy further strengthens this commitment. The newly inaugurated EV charging station will greatly benefit cab drivers and the general public using electric vehicles," he said. The charging hub includes a 45-kilowatt solar power system and 100 KWH second-life battery storage capacity. Of the 23 charging points, 18 have fast-charging points and five have slow chargers. Managing Director of Bescom, N. Shivashankar, claimed that this EV station is the first in the country to provide 24/7 EV charging facilities. Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda said, 'It's a matter of pride that a new EV charging station has come up near Bengaluru airport, benefiting cab drivers and EV users. With around 10,000 cabs operating daily—many of them electric—this facility shows Karnataka's continued leadership in EV initiatives," reported Money Control. As per data from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Union Ministry of Power, Karnataka is the first Indian state to introduce an EV policy in 2017. Currently, it is at the forefront of EV infrastructure in the country, with a total of 5,880 charging stations across the state. Of these, around 4,462 EV charging stations are located in the Bengaluru urban district. Karnataka is followed by Maharashtra, Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.


New Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Telangana Dy CM Bhatti visits Bengaluru to inspect major underground cabling project
HYDERABAD: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Tuesday visited Bengaluru for an in-depth review of the city's large-scale underground cabling initiative undertaken by the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM). The visit is part of the state government's ongoing efforts to modernise urban infrastructure and enhance the reliability, safety and aesthetics of power supply systems in rapidly expanding metropolitan areas. As part of the visit, a high-level review meeting was held with BESCOM officials. Presentations were made by Pankaj Pandey, MD, Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited and Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company, along with his team. They briefed Vikramarka on the overhead (OH) to underground (UG) power conversion Project — considered one of India's most comprehensive urban power infrastructure transformations. Launched in 2018–19, the project has already converted over 7,400 kilometres of 11kV OH lines and thousands of kilometers of low-tension lines into UG or aerial bunched (AB) cables. A key innovation has been the installation of Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) ducts along UG routes to facilitate future telecom leasing, creating a potential revenue stream. During the meeting, the deputy CM inquired about the project's design and implementation challenges. He also examined the financial structuring, which includes funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), and other public sector banks. BESCOM officials reported that the UG conversion has already led to a reduction in technical losses and electrical accidents by up to 2%.


Hans India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Bhatti in Bengaluru to study underground cable system
Bengaluru / Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu on Tuesday visited Bengaluru for an in-depth review of the city's large-scale underground cabling initiative undertaken by the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM). The visit was part of the Telangana government's ongoing efforts to modernise urban infrastructure and improve power supply systems' reliability, safety, and aesthetics in rapidly growing metropolitan areas. The day began with a high-level review meeting hosted by BESCOM officials. The project, launched in 2018-19, had already converted over 7,400 kilometres of 11kV OH lines and thousands of kilometres of low-tension lines into UG or aerial bunched (AB) cables. A key innovation has been the laying of Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) ducts along the UG cable routes to enable future telecom leasing as a revenue stream. The Dy CM asked questions related to design and implementation challenges, some of which were – the financial structuring of the project, which includes loans from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), and other public sector banks, the reduction in technical losses and electrical accidents, which BESCOM confirmed had fallen by up to two per cent since the UG implementation, the readiness of OFC infrastructure for commercial use, to which BESCOM responded that while ducts are in place, last-mile coordination with telecom operators and BBMP, the role of Ring Main Units (RMUs) in ensuring system reliability and reducing downtime during faults. The Deputy CM expressed appreciation for the scale and execution discipline of the project, while also noting the importance of integrating learnings into Telangana's upcoming urban grid modernisation programmes, particularly for Future City. Later in the day, Vikramarka visited a pilot site in Malleshwaram (15th Cross), where an Underground Distribution network including underground Transformer (DTR) system has been implemented. The site showcased how DTRs can be housed in fully buried chambers with accessible maintenance panels at street level, freeing up urban space and improving safety. During the field visit, Bhatti Vikramarka engaged directly with engineers and contractors on-site, reviewing safety protocols, load balancing techniques, and provisions for emergency repairs. He noted how such innovations could be especially valuable in Telangana's densely populated urban corridors. Presentations were made by Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited, and Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company MD Pankaj Pandey and their team on the Bengaluru Overhead (OH) to Underground (UG) Power Conversion Project, which has emerged as one of India's most comprehensive urban power infrastructure transformations. Officials from the Government of Telangana, including Krishna Bhaskar, CMD, TRANSCO and Musharraf Faruqi, CMD, SPDCL also participated in the discussions.


Time of India
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bhatti in B'luru to study urban power solutions
Hyderabad: To improve the power infrastructure, especially the underground cabling system in Hyderabad, as well as system reliability, safety, and aesthetics, Telangana deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka visited Bengaluru on Tuesday to study the power sector. The state govt is planning to use some modern technologies and projects, such as urban grid modernisation programmes, in Future City. Bhatti interacted with Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) managing director Pankaj Pandey, who is also MD of Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited. Officials gave a presentation on Bengaluru Overhead (OH) to Underground (UG) Power Conversion Project, which has emerged as one of India's most comprehensive urban power infrastructure transformations. The project in Bengaluru was launched in 2018-19 and has already converted over 7,400 km of 11kV OH lines and thousands of km of low-tension lines into UG or aerial bunched (AB) cables. A key innovation has been the laying of optical fiber cable ducts along UG cable routes to enable future telecom leasing as a revenue stream. Vikramarka enquired about the financial structuring of the project, which includes loans from Asian Development Bank (ADB), Rural Electrification Corporation, and other public sector banks. The reduction in technical losses and electrical accidents, which BESCOM confirmed fell by up to 2% since UG implementation, was also discussed. Bhatti also sought to know the readiness of OFC infrastructure for commercial use, to which BESCOM responded that while ducts are in place, last-mile coordination with telecom operators and BBMP is going on. Later in the day, the Deputy CM visited a pilot site in Malleshwaram (15th Cross) where an Underground Distribution network, including an underground Transformer (DTR) system, has been implemented. The site showcased how DTRs can be housed in fully buried chambers with accessible maintenance panels at street level, freeing up urban space and improving safety.