GE T&D India Limited has announced a new milestone in its Champa-Kurukshetra ultra-high-voltage direct current (UHVDC) project by successfully energizing the third of four poles planned for the project. This adds an additional 1,500 MW of capacity to the 1,287-km link, which is now transmitting 4,500 MW.
A special feature of the Champa project is the use of an overhead line with dedicated metallic return, which uses a neutral conductor as a part of the DC circuit. GE is the first company in the world to demonstrate this technology with this project and is therefore providing additional value to the customer by eliminating the typical technical and environmental issues associated with the traditional electrode solution.
The transmission line is a crucial component of the Indian government's electricity-for-all initiative and will help provide reliable electricity for millions of people living in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and surrounding areas.
New government initiatives and investments have reversed India's longstanding power deficit. With the growing renewable energy market, the nation now boasts a power surplus of over 335 gigawatts (GW) of electrical generating capacity, making it the third-largest electricity producer in the world. However, to meet the government's vision of power-to-all and to ensure last mile connectivity, continuous development of a robust transmission network is vital for the country.
Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL), India's largest state-owned transmission company, is helping address this need by connecting the power deficit northern Indian region with power surplus regions of eastern India. PGCIL is using GE's UHVDC technology.
"To enable the government's vision of one nation, one grid, one price and transformation of the power sector, GE has resolved to work with PGCIL and realize the national goal of affordable, efficient and reliable power supply. Backed by unprecedented and innovative technologies, GE's HVDC project will play a key role in meeting the critical power needs for consumers and industry in a large part of the country," said Vishal Wanchoo, President and CEO, GE South Asia and Chairman of GE T&D India Limited.
The Champa-Kurukshetra project transmits electricity from power generating plants located across Chhattisgarh to a GE-built rectifier station in Champa, where it is converted from alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC). The electricity is transported in bulk across the UHVDC line and is then converted back to AC by a GE inverter station in Kurukshetra, Haryana. From there, power is transported to the surrounding rural states who are in need of reliable and consistent electrical power. DC technology efficiently moves electricity over long distances which lowers transmission costs and losses. Additionally, it is a more environment-friendly technology because it requires fewer overhead lines to deliver the same amount of power as HVAC system
Phase 1 of the project, completed in 2017, provided 3,000 MW of transmission capacity. GE recently commissioned Pole-3, adding another 1,500 MW of transmission capacity, marking a key benchmark towards the completion of Phase 2. Once Pole 4 is commissioned, the entire system will transmit 6,000 MW of electricity at 800 kV - making the project one of the largest generation-to-consumption transmission systems in the world.
Shares of GE T&D India Ltd was last trading in BSE at Rs.175 as compared to the previous close of Rs. 177.6. The total number of shares traded during the day was 2314 in over 243 trades.
The stock hit an intraday high of Rs. 180 and intraday low of 172.6. The net turnover during the day was Rs. 409345. |
Follow @equitybulls