Sterlite Power has commissioned the Rs30bn ($410m) Northern Region Strengthening Scheme 29 transmission project (NRSS 29 transmission project) in the Kashmir region in India.
Image: A helicrane used by Sterlite Power for the NRSS 29 transmission project. Photo: courtesy of Sterlite Power.
The 414km long NRSS 29 transmission project has been taken up to provide reliable power access for the Kashmir Valley by increasing Jammu and Kashmir’s power transmission capacity by at least 33%.
The new transmission line has been put into services two months ahead of schedule to enable benefits to be reaped during the ongoing winter season in India, said Sterlite Power.
The NRSS 29 transmission project has been designed to transmit more than 1,000MW of power from Punjab to the Kashmir Valley by bolstering the transmission system in the two regions.
Sterlite Power global infrastructure CEO Ved Mani Tiwari said: “It is a matter of great pride to complete a challenging project like NRSS 29 ahead of schedule. The evacuation of 1,000 MW shall play a vital role in addressing the power deficit in the region, especially during winter months.”
To counter the challenges posed by high altitude, snow and inaccessible terrains, Sterlite Power used helicranes in the Pir Panjal range for the construction of the NRSS 29 transmission project.
The company further said that planning was done in a way that the new transmission project can withstand the elements during harsh winters in the Kashmir Valley.
Sterlite Power Group CEO Pratik Agarwal said: “This project is a real manifestation of living our core purpose ‘empowering humanity by addressing the toughest challenges of energy delivery’.
“We have surmounted numerous challenges to finish this project ahead of schedule and feel very proud of the social impact it’ll have in the Valley. We are among handful of global transmission developers, with projects worth Rs 268 bn across India and Brazil, solving toughest challenges of energy delivery.”
In August, Sterlite Power completed upgrading capacity on the 132kv Hatia-Kamdara transmission project in the Indian state of Jharkhand. The transmission lines were upgraded due to the choking of the Kamdara substation from excess load, which resulted in massive power outages in nearby rural areas.
In July, Sterlite Power bagged six new transmission projects in Brazil at an investment of around $1bn.