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The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co is planning to invest Rs 25 crore (Rs 250 million) to improve power infrastructure in the area for an uninterrupted, quality power supply to the industrial belt.
The power infrastructure in the belt is almost 30 years old. Electric wires have corroded since the area is dotted with many chemical units. Moreover, there are 3,000 plus industrial units, which have put additional load on the feeders resulting in power fluctuation.
The project includes putting a 22 kv double circuit line (DCL) via road (25 km) as well as through underground pipeline (27 km). Nearly 176 additional electric towers will be erected alongwith 45 additional transformers with a capacity of 315 kva and 630 kva. The capacity of the 60 existing feeders will be augmented from the current 200 kva to 315 kva.
"There is no load shedding and power cuts in the industrial belt now. We cannot afford to have load shedding in such an economically important area," said N B Jagtap, superintending engineer, MSEDCL, Navi Mumbai.
"We are strengthening the infrastructure by doubling the current carrying capacity of the conductors," Jagtap added.
Power fluctuation because of the overload has been taking its toll on smaller industries. "Once this project is fully implemented, our entire power-related problems will be solved," said Jayadevan, joint secretary, Thane Belapur Industries Association.
This will boost the industries which are cumulatively paying the electricity board nearly Rs 40 crore (Rs 400 million) in electricity charges every month.
TBIA has an annual turnover of Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 100 billion) and enjoys an export potential of Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion).
In comparison with other industrial belts in the state, the Thane-Belapur industrial belt is in a much better situation in terms of revenue generation. Transmission and distribution loss is also very low. It is, as the secretary of the association says, "the bread winner of MSEB."
The project has opened new opportunities for the engineering and IT-related industrial units as they can go for expansion now.
The TBIA officials hinted that there could be some expansion in small units, but these have necessarily to be non-polluting units. The chemical units are not allowed to expand any further.
"Around 20 per cent of the project has been completed. Hopefully, we will complete the rest of the work under the stipulated time," said R D Munde, executive engineer, MSEB (Vashi).
