09-03-09 Reliance Power Transmission Ltd (RPTL), a wholly owned subsidiary company of Mumbai based infrastructure company Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra), through its two special purpose vehicles, has signed power transmission agreements with eight beneficiaries from the western region for two inter-state power transmission projects under the Western Region System Strengthening Scheme-II.
On the directive of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), the Power Grid Corporation of India, as the bid process coordinator, had invited tariff based competitive bids way back in year 2005 for establishing 400 kV double circuit transmission lines of around 1,500 km under WRSSS-II, prominently in the States of Maharashtra (1,000 km) and Gujarat (500 km).

On winning the project as the lowest bidder, RPTL obtained transmission license from the CERC and was entrusted to establish the transmission lines under the scheme. This winning of bid shall pave the way for attaining financial closure for these projects, costing Rs 1,800 crore, according to a company release.
With this RPTL will become the first ever private transmission utility to build these first ever 100 % privately owned inter state transmission projects in the country and on completion of the projects as scheduled by the end of December 2010, we would facilitate the smooth flow of surplus power in eastern and northern regions of the country to western region, claim the company authorities.

Confirming the development, a senior RPTL official said: "We will invest nearly Rs 1,800 crore in the project that will set up a 1,500-km of power transmission lines. The project will be funded on a 75:25 debt equity ratio and financial closure is expected in a couple of months."
The project will be executed by the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) division of Reliance Infrastructure and is expected to be complete by 2010.

"We expect to start work on the project in six months by when we will have received all necessary clearances," he said.
With this, RPTL will be the first private transmission utility to build these first-ever 100 % privately-owned inter-state transmission projects. The projects, once completed and commissioned successfully, will benefit western region constituents, including Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution, Madhya Pradesh Power Trading, Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam, Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Co. Ltd. (CSPDCL), Madhya Pradesh Audyogik Kendra Vikas Nigam Ltd. (MPAKVNL), Electricity Department of Goa, Administration of Daman & Diu and the Electricity Department of Dadra & Nagar Haveli.