Gujarat, Jul 1 (KNN) In a bold move that underscores Gujarat's commitment to sustainable energy practices, the Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation (Getco) has announced a massive Rs 1 lakh crore investment plan over the next 8-10 years.

The investment comes at a crucial time when Gujarat's renewable energy capacity has reached impressive levels. Currently, the state boasts 11,823 megawatts (MW) of wind power and 13,545 MW of solar power, totaling 25,368 MW of installed renewable energy capacity, according to the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

Getco's Managing Director, Upendra Pande, elaborated on the ambitious plan: "We're looking to complement our existing power generation infrastructure to meet the growing energy demands of the state.

Our 10-year investment plan includes the addition of 1,000 new substations, with about 850 being 66kV and approximately 150 being Extra High Voltage (EHV) substations of 200kV, 400kV, and 765kV."

The investment strategy focuses on four key areas. Firstly, it aims to ensure daytime power supply to the agricultural sector by 2027. Secondly, it seeks to increase the drawing capacity from total transfer capacity (TTC) and available transfer capacity (ATC).

The third focus is on preparing for the anticipated integration of 100 GW of renewable energy by 2030. Lastly, the plan addresses the need to meet the projected demand of distribution utilities by 2030.

A government source close to the development highlighted the impact of the Kisan Suryoday Yojana, a scheme aimed at providing daytime electricity to farmers. This initiative is expected to push peak agricultural demand from the current 8 GW to 14 GW, necessitating significant infrastructure upgrades.

In line with the Union government's ambitious target of 500 GW of installed renewable energy capacity by 2030, Gujarat has set its sights on integrating 100 GW of renewable energy into its energy mix by the same year. This goal requires an addition of approximately 45 GW of renewable energy capacity to the intra-state networks over the next six years.

Getco is also focusing on enhancing its power drawing capabilities. Pande explained, "We currently have 12 GW of aggregate transmission capacity (ATC) for drawing power from the Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) network. Our plan is to expand this to 25 GW by 2030, allowing us to tap into cheaper power sources from across the country and achieve a balanced grid operation with increased renewable energy penetration."

The Central Electricity Authority anticipates that the demand from distribution utilities in Gujarat will reach 34 GW by 2030, further underscoring the need for robust transmission infrastructure.

(KNN Bureau)