Lights On: PGVCL's ₹3,000 Crore Grid Upgrade

Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Ltd. (PGVCL) has launched a ₹3,000 crore, three-year initiative to significantly reduce power outages across Saurashtra and Kutch, benefiting both industries and lakhs of rural households across 12 districts.

The project focuses on replacing aging 11 kV bare conductors with Medium Voltage Covered Conductors (MVCC) — a relatively new technology in India that insulates transmission wires, thereby improving safety and reliability. Gujarat’s 700-km coastline, spread across 10 districts, poses a major challenge due to corrosion from saline air, while frequent disruptions are also caused by tree interference, particularly from coconut and mango plantations.

PGVCL Managing Director KP Joshi said:“Two years ago, we piloted MVCC in Mangrol taluka, Junagadh, and saw outages drop from 30–35 per month to just one or two. That success led us to expand the project statewide.”

In Phase I, PGVCL has already awarded ₹1,000 crore worth of tenders, partly funded through the central government’s Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). The full rollout is expected to significantly enhance grid resilience, reduce breakdowns, and improve power supply reliability in coastal and rural Gujarat.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.