MUMBAI — In order to address the growing need for power for the country’s commercial capital, Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL) has commissioned Mumbai’s first 400-KV grid line, an official said here on Monday.
The new line, of Kharghar Vikhroli Transmission Ltd, will boost the existing transmission and distribution capacity and enable it to bring in another 1000MW power to the city.
The city had witnessed two major grid failures in recent years, virtually paralysing it for several hours -- on October 12, 2020, and February 27, 2022 -- with a power blackout and a political furore.
“The Kharghar-Vikhroli line will bring an additional 1,000 MW of reliable power to Mumbai city as a solution to mitigate any such incidents in the future. With this project’s commissioning, Mumbai gets a 400 KV grid within its municipal limits, bringing enhanced import capability within its electricity grid and improving reliability and stability,” said an official.
The project had been under planning for over a decade and delayed owing to various reasons, including alleged rivalries among the power suppliers to the city.
“The project is critical for Mumbai as the existing capacity of the transmission corridor is not sufficient to carry further power into the city. It will provide much more sustainability to commuting through bullet train, Metro Rail and Mumbai suburban railways, as also for commercial and residential establishments,” said the official.
The KVTL comprises approximately 74 circuit km of 400 kV and 220 kV transmission lines, along with a 1,500 MVA 400kV Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) at Vikhroli, the first 400KV substation of its kind in Mumbai.
Occupying approximately 9,500 sq m area, it has the most compact design when it comes to 400 KV substations, with a unique design that vertically stacks 400kV and 220kV GIS, thus minimizing space requirements.
The AESL surmounted several challenges while laying the line, mainly over difficult terrain, but these were overcome with the use of technology and innovation.
Among these are six towers constructed in Thane Creek using heavy rigs on floating barges and in the urban areas, height restrictions in some locations were overcome by adopting special horizontal configuration towers.
The KVTL project starts in the Kharghar area of Navi Mumbai, traverses through its urban locations and terminates at Vikhroli in Mumbai city.
Next on the list is another major power line -- the upcoming Kudu-Aarey line, which would help bring another 1000MW power to the city.
Presently Mumbai’s increasing power requirements are met by AESL around 31.50 lakh consumers, Tata Power’s around 7 Lakh users and BEST with 10.50 lakh customers, besides a small portion of the population served by the MSEB.