TGSPDCL Launches Project to Transform Hyderabad into Cable-Free City

Hyderabad: In line with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy's vision, the Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGSPDCL) has initiated a project to transform the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) area into a cable-free city by replacing the existing overhead power lines with an underground cable system.

The project would be eventually extended to the Outer Ring Road (ORR) limits.

In a statement, the TGSPDCL chairman and managing director Musharraf Ali Faruqui said the power utility will issue an expression of interest (EoI) under the global competitive bidding for shifting of overhead power lines to underground power cables and other associated works in the city limits.

The TGSPDCL has initiated the process of identifying interested and capable parties for executing works so that the reliability of the network will be improved. Additionally, through UG cabling, it is envisaged that public safety, efficiency in operations and aesthetic view of the city will be improved.

The power utility intends to implement the UG power cabling project under the hybrid annuity model (HAM) or any other feasible funding model. The TGSPDCL wants to tap the expertise in the private sector to carry out the works within ORR limits, including adjoining municipal corporations, municipalities and gram panchayats.

Besides executing the design and engineering of underground cabling works, the private party must procure the required equipment, install them and integrate with the existing infrastructure, besides carrying out the operation and maintenance works.

In the existing GHMC limits, the power utility already has 1,280 km of 33 KV underground cable, 3,725 km of overhead lines, 957 km of 11 KV underground cable, 21,643 km of 11 KV overhead line, 498 substations of 33/11 KV capacity, 1,50,992 distribution transformers and 58,271 intermediate poles.

The TGSPDCL is issuing the EoI on January 20 and the last date for submission is February 1. The parties will be called for a presentation in person on February 7.