Asia | March 18, 2025

DVC starts $173 M power distribution modernisation project

The project aims to modernise power distribution in West Bengal and Jharkhand, enhancing reliability, efficiency, and 24/7 service.

 

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India, West Bengal/Jharkhand: The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) has initiated a $173 M (Rs1,500 crore) project to upgrade its power supply infrastructure, aiming to provide 24/7 quality electricity and reduce aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses.

The initiative seeks to upgrade traditional distribution methods to a modern, technology-driven system across DVC’s 24,235 km² command area in West Bengal and Jharkhand.

The project will incorporate state-of-the-art technologies such as a distribution management system, outage management system, customer relation management, metering data management system, GIS mapping, and fiber optic-based metering communication. Additionally, the network will feature unmanned container-based substations (E-houses), GIS-based 33 kV panels, modular battery chargers, and substation automation systems (SAS).

Planned to be completed in 18 months, the project’s first phase will introduce 12 E-houses, eight conventional indoor-based 33/11 kV substations, and four GIS-based prefab substations.

The first E-house became operational in Dhanbad in January 2025, with additional facilities planned for BIADA, Deoli, Giridih, Hazaribagh, and Sindri by March 2025. DVC’s new system will be managed from two cutting-edge control centres in Kalyaneshwari, West Bengal, and Koderama, Jharkhand, ensuring hot redundancy and featuring a 24/7 customer support cell.

To drive power distribution reforms and enhance reliability, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, DVC has collaborated with Tata Consulting Engineers, Siemens Columbia, Siemens India, Transafe, and Techno Electric.

Source: Projects Today