Punjab Power Minister S. Tarunpreet Singh Sond today said that the Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, has launched an extensive drive to modernise and strengthen the state's power distribution infrastructure by undertaking works worth approximately ₹5,000 crore under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).
The Cabinet Minister said that the amount was being judiciously utilised under the scheme to upgrade the electricity distribution network, ensuring reliable, quality and uninterrupted power supply to consumers across the state. He said that more than 8-hour uninterrupted power supply being ensured to farmers from the month of May.
Sharing the major achievements, S. Tarunpreet Singh Sond said that 1,296 new 11 KV feeders have been erected to improve network reliability and reduce overloading on the existing system. In addition, 1,12,195 new distribution transformers have been installed to strengthen the distribution network and cater to the growing electricity demand in rural as well as urban areas.
The Power Minister further informed that the transmission network has also been significantly reinforced with the augmentation and upgradation of 663 circuit kilometres of 66 KV lines, besides the erection of 355 circuit kilometres of new 66 KV transmission lines, thereby enhancing system capacity and operational efficiency.
While giving details of the ongoing transmission strengthening works in the Bathinda region on a call attention raised by MLA Balkar Singh Sidhu, S. Tarunpreet Singh Sond said that the 66 KV Phul and Bhai Rupa Sub-Stations are presently being fed through a 66 KV line originating from the 220 KV Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant, Lehra Mohabbat Sub-Station. To decongest the existing line and improve power reliability, a new dedicated 66 KV transmission line from the 220 KV Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant, Lehra Mohabbat to the 66 KV Sub-Station Phul is being erected.
He said that the proposed line has a total length of 13.2 circuit kilometres, out of which 11.08 circuit kilometres have already been completed. The remaining work includes the replacement of eight transmission towers and raising the height of four crossing 220 KV transmission lines to maintain the prescribed safety clearances and it will also be completed soon.
The Minister further said that, as an interim arrangement, PSPCL has balanced the load by temporarily shifting it among the 66 KV Bhai Rupa, Mehraj and Phul Sub-Stations, enabling the utility to provide more than eight hours of uninterrupted daily power supply to farmers with effect from the month of May.
Reiterating the Punjab Government's commitment to strengthening the power sector, S. Tarunpreet Singh Sond said that the ongoing infrastructure development works would significantly enhance the reliability, efficiency and quality of electricity supply across the state while meeting the growing requirements of agriculture, industry, commerce and domestic consumers.
