For augmentation of its transmission network to cater to the growing power demand in Bengaluru, Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. (KPTCL) is planning to upgrade its existing Air Insulated Substations (AIS) to Gas Insulated Substations (GIS) through Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Currently, there are 149 AIS and 22 GIS in Bengaluru. Among the 149 AIS, a few will be taken up for redevelopment and redesign by KPTCL. The first is a pilot project planned at the Anand Rao Circle substation. In the first-of-its-kind project in the city, KPTCL plans to take the substation underground sprawling across five acres.
Under the project, KPTCL will lease out the land above the substation for 35 years to the private party who can set up real estate assets. While the ownership of the land and the substation will lie with KPTCL, the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of the substation and the real estate development will be borne by the private developer. Upon completion of the lease tenure, the real estate will be transferred to KPTCL.
According to projections, the electricity demand in Bengaluru for financial year 2024-25 is stated to be 22 billion units while the peak demand is stated to be 3.6 Giga Watts (GW). The projections show that by 2030, the demand will reach 33 billion units while the peak demand will reach 5.4 GW.
“We need more substations with higher capacity in Bengaluru due to increased consumption from Electric Vehicle (EV) and other industries in and around the city. Old substations required more land and had lesser capacity. With these new compact substations, we can reduce land usage and increase capacity,” said K. J. George, Energy Minister, during a press conference on Wednesday. He added that the plans for redevelopment of substations are still at a preliminary stage and would be taken for cabinet approval after assessing the response from stakeholders to the concept.
The officials of the department also said that the plan is to first redevelop 15 substations which could mean 30-40 acres of land spread across Bengaluru. “We would need to conduct a detailed study of each location with design, feasibility, viability, and revenue for both government and the developer. The building designs will reflect the aesthetic of the city and will align with ‘Brand Bengaluru’. We will consult experts for the same,” said Gaurav Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, Energy Department.
No burden to the consumer
With the projects taking place under PPP model, KPTCL would not have to incur any capital expenditure. “KPTCL wants to invest and create infrastructure without burdening consumers. These projects will also have other benefits including reduced construction time, footprint, reduced safety risk and lower maintenance cost. The idle land in the substation premises can be developed into real estate which will also be expected to generate employment,” said Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Managing Director, KPTCL.
