Adani achieves milestone with India’s largest 765 KV inter-regional transmission line

Adani Energy Solutions Limited has successfully completed the Warora Kurnool Transmission line, a major energy project spanning 1,756 circuit kilometers across Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. This project plays a crucial role in strengthening the national power grid, facilitating the smooth transmission of 4,500 MW of electricity between the western and southern regions of India. Additionally, it enhances the southern region’s energy infrastructure and supports the integration of renewable energy sources on a large scale.

The Warora Kurnool Transmission Limited (WKTL) was established in April 2015 with the primary goal of creating an inter-regional alternative current link for supplying power to the southern region. It involved two transmission lines, Warora-Warangal and Chilakaluripeta-Hyderabad-Kurnool, and the construction of a 765/400 kV substation in Warangal.

Remarkably, WKTL is the largest 765 kV D/C (hexa conductor) tariff-based competitive bidding project ever undertaken under a single scheme. This ambitious project included laying a 1,756 circuit-kilometer transmission line that crosses the states of Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. Moreover, it involved building a 765 kV substation in Warangal, all managed through a build, own, operate, and maintain basis.

The project was initially awarded to Essel Infraprojects Ltd in early 2016 and was subsequently acquired by Adani Energy Solutions Limited (AESL) in March 2021, following a stressed debt restructuring process led by lenders.

The sheer scale of this project is truly astounding, as evidenced by the staggering amount of materials used. A total of 103,000 metric tonnes of steel were utilized for the construction of transmission line towers, equivalent to the materials needed to build 10 Eiffel Towers. Additionally, over 30,000 kilometers of conductor material were used for the transmission lines, which is comparable to traveling three times around the moon. This conductor material is made from a specialized alloy.

One remarkable feat of the project was the installation of two mid-stream towers, each 102 meters in height, with pile foundations, on the Krishna River. This was a significant challenge due to a limited three-month window available for work when the water level in the river was low. Furthermore, erecting towers and stringing lines necessitated crossing 116 major power lines, electrified railway tracks, and national highways.

The project encountered unexpected challenges, including disruptions caused by two major global events: the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. These events disrupted the entire commodity supply chain and led to difficulties in mobilizing and demobilizing resources.

Other remarkable achievements of the project include completing 1,524 circuit kilometers of stringing in just 11 months at a rate of 140 circuit kilometers per month. Towers with a combined weight of 100 metric tons were erected daily, employing an average of 15 work gangs, with a peak mobilization of 40 work gangs. The project also involved the mobilization of up to 2,000 workers across multiple sites.

Adani Energy Solutions Limited, part of the broader Adani portfolio, is a multidimensional organization engaged in various aspects of the energy sector, encompassing power transmission, distribution, smart metering, and cooling solutions. AESL holds the distinction of being the country’s largest private transmission company, with a presence in 14 states of India and a cumulative transmission network spanning 20,000 circuit kilometers and boasting a transformation capacity of 53,000 MVA.

In the distribution sector, AESL serves more than 12 million consumers in metropolitan Mumbai and the industrial hub of Mundra SEZ. The company is actively expanding its smart metering business and aims to become a leading smart metering integrator in India. With its integrated offering, which includes the expansion of its distribution network through parallel licenses and competitive and tailored retail solutions, including a significant share of green power, AESL is at the forefront of revolutionizing how energy is delivered to end consumers.

You might also intersted in – Shares of AEL, Adani Power, Adani Green, and Adani Total Gas drop after the OCCRP report