K. Vijayanand directs AP-Transco to expedite 68 power transmission projects worth ₹5,000 crore

Special Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand addressing a review meeting on the power sector in Vijayawada on Wednesday. | Vijayanand directed the Andhra Pradesh Transmission Corporation (AP-Transco) to expedite the 68 projects in various stages of implementation, costing about ₹5,000 crore.On completion, these projects would add a capacity of 15,274 MVA and 1,822 circuit kilometres of transmission line network.The projects were taken up keeping in view rapid industrialisation, urbanisation, infrastructure expansion and growing renewable energy use in the State, and AP-Transco should ensure their timely completion, he said.Addressing a review meeting on the power sector at Vidyut Soudha on May 12, 2026, Mr. Vijayanand said the new projects would increase the reliability of the power transmission system and reduce stress on the network, improving voltage levels and providing stable power supply.He said approval had been received for the tender plan covering 100 new transmission projects, including 12 at 400 kV and 88 at 220 kV and 132 kV.AP-Transco was playing a key role in supporting major industrial investments, he said, and Extra High Tension (EHT) power supply infrastructure was being created for the vertically integrated solar photovoltaic manufacturing industry coming up at Chevuru and Karedu villages in Nellore district.On the State’s clean energy goals, Mr. Vijayanand said the Ministry of Power had sanctioned Viability Gap Funding (VGF) under the Power System Development Fund (PSDF) for development of 30 GWh Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) across the country, of which 3 GWh capacity had been allocated to Andhra Pradesh.He said the objective of the programme was to ensure efficient use of existing thermal power generation and transmission infrastructure, and to provide power supply during periods of non-availability of solar power.As the nodal agency for BESS projects, AP-Transco had initiated tariff-based competitive bidding under the build-own-operate model for the establishment of standalone projects with a capacity of 1,000 MW for two hours.The BESS projects were planned to be implemented at 10 locations in two phases.Mr. Vijayanand said proposals had been submitted under the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) Phase-III scheme for the evacuation of 11 GW of solar power and 7,370 MW of pumped storage hydro power, to the Central Electricity Authority and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy for examination.The estimated cost of GEC - III was around Rs.21,838 crore, he added. AP-Transco Joint Managing Director (Joint MD) G. Surya Sai Praveenchand; Directors A.K.V. Bhaskar, J.V. Rao and Venkata Ramana Murthy; and other senior officials were present. Published - May 13, 2026 02:12 pm IST