Smart power grid for Panaji, Ribandar tendered

PANAJI: To resolve the issue of erratic power supply faced by the capital this monsoon, Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) has floated a tender to modernize the power infrastructure by bringing in SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) compact power stations. As part of the project, existing overhead power cables in Panaji city will be moved underground.

The frequent power outages in the state, especially in the capital, forced the Goa electricity department (GED) to seek IPSCDL’s help to upgrade the old power infrastructure.Early in the monsoon season, dangling wires and outdated equipment proved to be a bane, leading to frequent power cuts as falling trees and other objects caused supply lines to snap.
“Government approval for around Rs 65 crores has come in. The completion time is expected to be 12 months from the date of awarding the contract,” IPSCDL CEO and MD Swayandipta Pal Chaudhuri said.
As part of the modernization project, 36 compact stations of 400 KVA and 630 KVA will be replaced. The 11KV and 1.1 KV power lines, currently running on overhead poles, will also be shifted underground.
“We have added a five-year maintenance clause to the tender to ensure the infrastructure is taken care of after being installed,” Chaudhuri said, adding that the old infrastructure including feeder pillars and existing transformers will also be removed.