OREANDA-NEWS. December 12, 2011. Jaigad PowerTransco Ltd (JPTL), a joint venture between JSW Energy and MahaTransco has commissioned its 400 kV Intra-State Power Transmission project in Maharashtra.

This Transmission System consisting of 400kV Double Circuit Jaigad - New Koyna and Jaigad - Karad Transmission Lines will facilitate evacuation of power from 1200 MW Jaigad Power Project as well as other power generation projects planned in the region and also transfer power from predominantly generation node at New Koyna to load centre at Karad. The Transmission system has power evacuation capacity of about 2,500 MW to 3,000 MW.

The project was set up in two phases - Jaigad-New Koyna Transmission line having route length of 55 kms and circuit length of 110 kms was completed last year while the Jaigad-Karad Transmission line with route length of 110 kms and circuit length of 220 kms has been completed recently.

This Joint Venture for development of Transmission Lines in Maharashtra is a unique example of Public Private Partnership in Transmission Business - where JSW Energy holds 74 % and MahaTransco holds 26 % equity and it is a pioneering effort by JSW Energy and MahaTransco to facilitate power evacuation from the upcoming power projects in Maharashtra. MahaTransco becomes the first State Transmission Utility (STU) in India to promote this participative approach for development of power transmission system.

The 400kV Jaigad - New Koyna Transmission Line was completed in a record duration of less than 24 months and 400 kV Double Circuit (Quad) Jaigad - Karad Transmission Line was completed in less than 39 months, considering the complexity involved, as more than 55% of the route passes through difficult hilly terrain and involved various crossings of Rivers and Creeks, EHV Power Lines, Railway tracks, National & State Highways, forest, etc.

JPTL has been awarded the Transmission License by Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) in February 2009, which empowers the Company to establish and operate this Intra-State Transmission system for next 25 years.

Both the Transmission Lines are presently transmitting/ evacuating power generated at 1200 MW Jaigad Thermal Power Plant to Maharashtra Grid and with commissioning of this Intra -state Transmission system, the region gets integrated with the EHV Transmission System of Maharashtra, augmenting transfer of power between New Koyna, a generation node and Karad, a load centre.