State utility West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (WBSEDCL) will sign an agreement for technological collaboration with Singapore Power (SP), one of the largest power companies in Asia, by the end of this month. The firm is also mulling options to start hydro-electric power projects in Bhutan and Nepal.
“In order to improve our customer service, we have decided to tie up with Singapore Power. The deal, which will be signed by the end of this month, will be completely a technological collaboration,” said Malay Kumar De, chairman and managing director of WBSEDCL. Singapore Power has assets worth S$30.7 billion and owns and operates electricity and gas transmission and distribution businesses. According to international benchmark indicators, SP's electricity grid in Singapore is one of the world’s best performing networks.
“The agreement will cover sharing of technology in mainly three areas — maintenance of assets, remote-controlled operations like supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and system planning. This will help in upgrading our operating procedure that will minimise power loss. Our officials will go to Singapore and learn these technologies from them,” he said.
SP Global Solutions — a subsidiary of Singapore Power — is already in tie-up with private sector utility CESC for strengthening the distribution system in the CESC-licensed areas of Kolkata. A CESC spokesperson said that the project was a success as it helped in reducing rates of power failure and improved the firm’s distribution mechanism.
WBSEDCL is also in talks with Bhutan and Nepal to set up hydel power projects in those countries. “Talks are going on for starting a power plant project in Bhutan, at the same time we are also looking at opportunities Nepal as a possible destination,” De added.
Inks pact with NTPC
WBSEDCL signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) on Saturday. “This is to buy 1762 mega watt (MW) of power from five projects of NTPC — Gajmara, Darlipali, TTPS Expansion, Farakka III and Nabinagar. Moreover, other than the power plant at Santhaldih in Purulia, we are also considering NTPC for the proposed plant at Katwa in Burdwan,” said Nirupam Sen, West Bengal power minister.
The state was already in talks with Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (Bhel) for the 660MW Katwa plant. “We are considering NTPC because it has not just the capability of building the plant, but can also run it,” Sen said.