The Ministry of Power has approved SJVN’s request to set up overhead transmission lines for its 1,000 MW solar power project in Bikaner, Rajasthan.

SJVN had published a notice for the transmission program in local newspapers on November 15, 2022, and in the Weekly Gazette of India, inviting comments or objections on the proposed transmission route within 60 days from the date of publication.

Subsequently, SJVN declared that only one objection was received from Juniper Green Cosmic, which was later withdrawn.

The Ministry of Power has granted the approval for 25 years, and SJVN will have to seek the consent of the authorities before the erection of the proposed lines.

SJVN must follow the regulations of the appropriate commission regarding transmission, operation & maintenance, and open access framed under the Electricity Act, 2003.

The overhead lines for the transmission program will pass through Bandarewala, Deensar, Barala, Bhanipura, Sarah Barola, Gol Pratap Singh, Kawni, Mehrasar, Jaimalsar, Nokha Daiya, and Randhisar villages in Bikaner district.

The applicant will operate the lines only after approval from the central government’s electrical inspector or chief electrical inspector.

The company will have to submit the requisite clearances to Central Electricity Authority (CEA) after obtaining the same from authorities like civil aviation and defense at the time of electrical inspection.

SJVN had bagged the contract from the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) under the CPSU Phase-II (Tranche-III) program under viability gap funding to develop a 1 GW grid-connected solar power project.

Last December, IREDA had sanctioned a ₹44.45 billion (~$537.14 million) loan to SJVN Green Energy, a subsidiary of SJVN, to develop the project in Bikaner.

In case the route of the overhead transmission lines falls in the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) potential area marked on the map, which is part of the order of the Supreme Court dated April 19, 2021, SJVN will have to comply with the directions of the Supreme Court concerning undergrounding of the overhead transmission lines or fixing of bird diverters.

In January this year, the Supreme Court had said that it would apprise itself of the status of the installation of bird flight diverters atop power transmission in the habitat of the endangered GIB.