The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has shortlisted eight firms for the procurement of software for power distribution planning. These include: Hope Technology, KLG Ltd, ABB, Hitachi, Infotek, Trident, Indicos, and Hyderabad-based Global Energy.
A committee headed by Prof Sachidanand director-general, Central Power Research Institute, had assembled here to choose software for power distribution planning. The committee has been through these companies' technical presentations and those selected will be asked to present their commercial bids.
Of all the power generated in the country, only 41 per cent is paid for. The transmission and distribution (T&D) losses are a staggering 26 per cent; Rs 26,000 crore is lost on this account annually.
"These are not sustainable losses and till these are rectified, power distribution can not be turned into a profit-making business, " said Vijay Kumar, chief engineer, CEA. To check power distribution losses, the government has launched the Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme. The country has been divided into 436 circles. Each circle has a superintendent engineer. The agenda is to meet higher demand, upgrade the sub-station capacity and increase the reliability factor, among other things. Till now, 63 circles have been chosen for development and Rs 4,200 crore is to be invested in these circles.
NTPC and PowerGgrid Corporation have been appointed advisers-cum-consultants to prepare detailed project report for these circles. For the rest of the country, the responsibility has been entrusted with CEA. CEA is in the process of identifying a software for distribution planning through which problems of each circle can be identified.
The committee is also planning to install high voltage distribution systems. An 11 kv cable is being planned to be installed and if a consumer tries to tap power from it, he will immediately vanish.
Besides, 100 per cent metering was also being planned, Kumar said, adding that this very step would help in saving 25-30 per cent of power lost. The billing process also needed to be strengthened, he said.
The target was to reduce T&D losses to 15 per cent, Kumar said, adding that each reduction of 1 per cent would yield a benefit of 700 mw.
