Power infra in for major push

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 28

The power infrastructure in the city is expected to get a major boost in the next two years. A consultant hired by the UT Administration has submitted a report calling for an improvement in the power supply.

Sources said the consultant had proposed a plan of around Rs 670  crore for  creating infrastructure  to meet the future demand of city residents.

The Administration had hired the consultant to suggest ways to improve the  power situation.

Under the plan, Rs 201.58 crore will be  spent on the smart grid project. IT applications will be  used for improving services under the project. An online  complaint redressal  system has also  been planned in which residents can lodge their complaints  through mobile  phones and get these redressed.

Consumer indexing,  GIS mapping, metering of  distribution transformers and feeders, automatic data logging for all distribution transformers and feeders and the SCADA/DMS system have been proposed. The smart grid project will first be implemented in the  Industrial  Area on a pilot  basis .

A new  66 kV sub-transmission system has been planned at a cost of Rs  30 crore. Besides, various 11 kV and below works worth Rs  70  crore have been planned. The  plan includes making the electricity distribution system completely underground.