Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Secretary Ms. Anu Garg Saturday reviewed the power sector initiatives taken up in the State and emphasised on generation of renewable energy.She stressed on harnessing the Pumped Storage Project (PSP) and Floating Solar Photovoltaic (FSPV) potential of the State and called for expeditious implementation of all such proiects.
The meeting was attended by Vishal Dev, Principal Secretary, Energy Department; Bhaskar Sarma, CMD, OPTCL; Dr. Satya Priva Rath, MD, GRIDCO; Kedarranjan Pandu, MD, OPGC; CEOs of all four TP DISCOMs, and Directors of various power sector PSUs.
During the meeting, a detailed review was undertaken on the overall performance of the power sector covering generation, transmission and distribution, power procurement, infrastructure development, renewable energy integration and people centric services. Progress of ongoing projects and key operational and financial aspects of the utilities were also discussed.Chairing the review, the Chief Secretary emphasised the need for ensuring affordable, uninterrupted, reliable and quality power supply across the State while maintaining the sustainability of the power utilities. She underscored the importance of timely completion of proiects, improved coordination among the Departments and PSUs and a strong focus on people-centric service delivery.
The Chief Secretary stressed the importance of accelerating critical transmission infrastructure, including the 765/400 KV substation near Bishnupur along with associated transmission lines, to strengthen power supply to the State capital region. She also emphasised the need to take necessary steps to further reduce transmission losses in the State.
For ensuring assured power supply, the Chief Secretary advised development of a 220 KV ring network in key regions including the State capital region, Keonjhar, Jharsuguda-Sambalpur region, Bargarh-Sarasmal region, Therubali- Jeypore region and Berhampur-Baliguda region. She directed the utilities to closely monitor operation and maintenance activities to ensure uninterrupted power supply across the State.
The Chief Secretary further stressed the need for an effective system of information dissemination in the power sector and called for time-bound implementation of system automation and monitoring projects, including expeditious coverage of all substations under the STAMS project within the next one year. While appreciating the proposed hotline maintenance initiatives, she emphasised strict adherence to all safety protocols.
Principal Secretary Dev reiterated the Department’s commitment to achieving the State’s long-term energy goals through sustainable and technology-driven interventions.
