India's national grid to be connected to southern grids by mid-2013

Work is progressing on connecting India's southern grid to the national transmission grids.

Power Grid Corporation of India expects to complete the connection by middle of next year, a move that would ease electricity shortage situation in the South.

Once connected, both the National as well as the Southern Grids would have the same frequency in terms of electricity transmission, he noted.

This would facilitate supply of power through the National Grid to the South Grid and help in bringing more electricity supply to southern states.

Power Grid Corp plans to spend Rs 6,000 crore for expansion activities in the southern region.

South has 7,213 circuit kilometres of 400 Kv High Voltage Alternating Current and 1910 ckm of 500 Kv High Voltage Direct Current transmission lines in operation.

Meanwhile, Power Grid is mulling joint ventures with state transmission companies for setting up networks within states such as Bihar and Orissa.

"We may set up intra-state transmission joint ventures with transmission companies in the states... looking at Bihar and Orissa at this point in time," the official said.

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