Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR/MB)

Mangalore Jun 21: The Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (MESCOM) getting ready for commissioning four new substations within 18 months. With this the major hurdles in procuring land for four 33-kV substations proposed in the city has now been cleared.

The areas earmarked for commissioning of these substations are Nandigudda, Attavar, Kadri and Alake. Another plan by MESCOM on the anvil is setting up of another 33-kV substation near Mangalore Club, if any private individual comes forward to provide land for the same. According to S. Sumanth MD of MESCOM, the land for the said four substations has already been purchased.

Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. Plans (KPTCL) also has plans to set up two 110-kV substations at Jeppu and Bejai, according to sources.

In case of any problems pertaining to the commissioning of the substations the Deputy Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao and Minister for Fisheries B. Nagaraj Shetty have promised to sort out minor hurdles, if any.

According to Sumanth the new units to be commissioned in the city would be interlinked to dissipate excess load on the existing substations at Kankanady, Nehru Maidan and Mannagudda, unlike the radial substations planned at Vogga, Kukkipadi and Nelyadi, which are not interlinked.

The total cost of the new units is estimated at Rs. 50 crore, inclusive of Rs.10 crore for civil works. The entire project is expected to be completed in about 18 months from now, Sumanth said. While the tender process itself is expected to take about five months for processing.