Grid Station inaugurated at Pounichak
Excelsior Correspondent
Jammu, Apr 28: Underlining the importance of power sector in the economic development of the State, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Saturday said that financial self-reliance of the State is directly linked with harnessing of huge potential of about 20000 MWs of hydro electricity available in the State.
“My Government is working on a comprehensive plan to make remarkable dent in this direction”, he said, adding that considerable thrust is on the generation of power along with upgradation of distribution and transmission system. He said in a State where the total income from all resources is Rs. 6500 crore and expenditure on salaries of Government employees is Rs. 13500 crore, the only hope for financial self-reliance can be pinned to the power sector.
The Chief Minister was inaugurating Power Grid Station at Pounichak in Jammu district today. The station is of 50 MVA capacity with 132/33 KV voltage level. The construction of the Grid Station is accompanied with the installation of 1.78 kilometres feeding line.
The construction of the station was taken in hand in 2010 at a cost of about Rs. 16.72 crore. It will benefit the population of about one lakh inhabitants in Marh and Raipur-Domana Constituencies besides people living in Talab Tillo, Trilokpur and adjacent areas.
The station will also improve and regulate quality power supply at 33 KV level feeding the sub-transmission system in Tehsil Jammu. It will relieve the overloading of existing network and Grid Station at Janipur and Canal. The transmission line constructed along with the Grid Station is of 1.7 kilometres long with 7 towers of B+6 and D+0 types.
The Chief Minister said that improvement and upgradation of power supply to the consumers is being ensured by construction of new Grid Stations, Receiving Stations and Sub-Stations across the State. He, however, showed concern over the huge transmission losses the State has to bear due to misuse of electricity. He said that the yearly losses on account of misuse and transmission leakage of electricity have touched over Rs. 2000 crore which should be serious concern to all. He said that this amount if procured from the consumers could be utilized on various development projects and employment generation for youth. He asked the consumers to pay the electricity charges in accordance with the consumption they make.
Omar Abdullah said that the government has put R-APDRP schemes to execution to reduce T&D losses by 3 percent annually. He said upgradation and power reforms project R-APDRP has been taken in hand at a cost of Rs. 1909 crore. He said that the project envisages improvement in HT/LT system in towns and cities with a population of 10,000 and above.
Omar Abdullah said that 7 Grid Stations have been completed in 2011 in the State while two have been completed this month and another 7 more are in pipeline.
Minister of State for Power, Shabir Ahmad Khan, Legislators Sukhnandan and Ajay Sadhotra and Principal Secretary Power Development Department, Sudhanshu Pandey were present on the occasion.
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