To meet the rising energy needs, Uttarakhand's state utility PTCUL (Power Transmission Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited) awarded ABB India a contract to construct a transmission substation in Khandukhal. The substation has recently been successfully commissioned, and serves to evacuate power generated from the rivers of this northern Indian state and integrate it into the national grid.
Challenging logistics and terrain
The remote site and hilly terrain required innovative solutions and careful planning to master the challenges of moving heavy equipment and arranging the substation on uneven grounds.
The transport to site of equipment such as transformers weighing up to 120 tons was all the more difficult as roads had been damaged and bridges weakened by disastrous floods in 2012 and 2013, necessitating the reinforcement of roads and the connecting bridge at Khandukhal.
The AIS substation was built across 25 tiers with 34 meters difference in elevation.
(Continued on nexyt page)