The Business Bytes
Bhubaneswar, July 12, 2024 (TBB Bureau): Tata Power-led power distribution companies (Discoms) have significantly bolstered Odisha’s power infrastructure, with an investment of Rs 4,245 crore in infrastructure expansion and network upgrades over the past 3-4 years, the company announced on Friday.
The company operates four Discoms in joint ventures with the government of Odisha: TP Central Odisha Distribution (TPCODL), TP Western Odisha Distribution (TPWODL), TP Southern Odisha Distribution (TPSODL), and TP Northern Odisha Distribution Limited (TPNODL). Together, these entities serve a customer base of over 9 million.
A substantial portion of the total investment, Rs 1,232 crore, has been allocated through various government-backed schemes. This funding has facilitated the laying of 2,177 circuit kilometres (Ckms) of 33 kilovolt (KV) lines and 19,809 Ckms of 11 KV lines. Additionally, 30,230 distribution transformers have been added to enhance the distribution network’s reliability in both rural and urban areas.
In a move to further modernize the power infrastructure, the company has commissioned 166 new primary substations (PSS), with 55 percent of these being automated. These improvements have resulted in an average of 23.68 hours of power supply per day in urban areas and 21.98 hours in rural areas, surpassing national averages.
The network enhancements have also led to a significant reduction in Aggregate Transmission and Distribution (AT&C) losses, which averaged 17.79 percent in Odisha during the financial year 2023-24.
