WCA January 2016

India Insight

Power link to Agra Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd has announced the commissioning of the first phase of its transmission link between the north east region and Agra. The line crosses through four states and around 40 rivers, and uses 7,000 pylons. “The first pole of the 1,730km-long 800kV HVDC transmission line has been completed, and power can flow in either direction,” said Power Grid chairman and managing director RN Nayak. “This transmission link will help in getting supply of surplus hydro power from the north eastern region, in the monsoon months, to north and western India, while in the winters it will be the other way around.” The link is believed to be the world’s largest multi-terminal 800kV HVDC project, comprising 3,000MW HVDC terminals at Biswanath Chariyali and Alipurduar and a 6,000MW terminal at Agra. The north eastern region, together with Sikkim and Bhutan, has huge hydro generation potential, estimated at around 65,000MW. Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd – India Website : www.powergridindia.com Elite acquisition India’s Sterlite Technologies will acquire Elitecore Technologies, a telecom software company, for an enterprise value of around $27.3 million. Established in 1999, and majority owned by investment firm First Carlyle Ventures Mauritius, Elitecore delivers business support systems, packet core and carrier wi-fi solutions for 52 communication service providers across 40 countries. Its other products include 24 online access gateway and NEOX IP telephony. Sterlite explained that the acquisition opens up access to a multi-billion dollar market which, when combined with the existing large and expanding market for optical products globally, significantly enhances its overall growth opportunity. Both Sterlite and Elitecore cater to some of the largest telecom service providers globally and this acquisition will enable both companies to cross-sell their products. Sterlite is committed to growing its optical products business and has implemented expansion plans to increase capacity. The acquisition of Elitecore allows Sterlite to offer solutions for operations support, business support and revenue management. Elitecore Technologies will be merged into Sterlite Technologies, once the transaction has been completed. The transaction is expected to be value accretive by FY

2017 and is expected to be closed shortly, subject to the completion of regulatory and statutory formalities. Sterlite Technologies – India Website : www.sterlitetechnologies.com Elite Technologies Pvt Ltd – India Website : www.elitecore.com Powering ahead The Andhra Pradesh government plans to expand power generation capacity, in response to the prediction that demand will more than double by 2018. The AP power sector is working towards a total installed capacity of 29,000MW, from the present installed capacity of around 10,222MW. By 2019 the additional generation capacity will come from thermal (7,090MW), hydro (1,010MW), solar (4,530MW), wind (4,000MW), and a 1,600MW share of central generating stations. Among other energy-efficient initiatives, the chief minister last year launched an LED bulbs distribution programme in Guntur, Srikakulam, Anantapur and West Godavari districts, which will now extend to other regions. To ensure 24/7 power to all consumers, the state chief minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, is looking to develop Amaravati, the new capital city of Andhra Pradesh, as an energy-efficient city. Now under development, Amaravati will incorporate energy saving systems from the design stage onwards. Andhra Pradesh Government – India Website : www.aponline.gov.in Festival power safety To ensure full safety for the anticipated thousands of visiting pilgrims, underground cables are being laid around the Mahamaham tank at Kumbakonam to take electric wires to houses, halls and buildings. The Mahamaham festival will be held on 22 nd February 2016. “We are doing away with overhead electric lines and are laying underground cables as a safety measure in view of the crowd expected to take a holy dip in the Mahamaham tanks,” said engineers of the Tamil Nadu Generation Distribution Corporation (Tangedco). Cables have been laid for a distance of 1.7km around the tank and a total 3.4km, including connections, taken to houses and other establishments. Street lights maintained by the Kumbakonam municipality are already supplied by underground cables. Tangedco is fencing transformers at vantage points as a safety measure. New transformers and wires have already been installed at various places in the temple town. Tamil Nadu Generation Distribution Corporation – India Website : www.tangedco.gov.in

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Wire & Cable ASIA – January/February 2016