Bhoruka bags Gescom order

Bhoruka Power Corporation which owns and operates 11 small hydro power stations and two wind farms, has diversified into areas of energy efficiency improvement in the rural electricity distribution network.

According to S Chandrasekhar, managing director, Bhoruka Power, the company has bagged a major contract from the Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company (Gescom) for extension of distribution network to 102 villages in Shorapur taluk of Gulbarga District.

"The contract valued at Rs 2.50 crore is being executed through sister concern Jamuna Infrastructure Projects, a niche market player in electrification works," he added.

Bhoruka's installed capacity currently is around 42 mw and is set to achieve a capacity of 100 mw by 2007-08.

As part of the Gescom contract, the company is to lay 150 kms of low tension and high tension lines, installing 50 distribution transformers and providing 1,050 street lights and a host of auxiliary items. The work is to be completed within the next six months.

"This latest initiaitve is part of our long term plan to enter the rural distribution sector as and when the government intends privatise the same," explains Chandrasekhar.

He further added that there is a lot of scope for energy efficiency improvement in most of the Escoms in Karnataka where transmission and distribution loss in some cases are as high as 35 per cent, particularly in the rural areas.