WCA January 2016

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Wire & Cable ASIA – January/February 2016
India Insight
Power link to Agra
Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd has announced the
commissioning of the first phase of its transmission link
between the north east region and Agra. The line crosses
through four states and around 40 rivers, and uses 7,000
pylons.
“The first pole of the 1,730km-long 800kV HVDC
transmission line has been completed, and power can flow
in either direction,” said Power Grid chairman and managing
director RN Nayak.
“This transmission link will help in getting supply of surplus
hydro power from the north eastern region, in the monsoon
months, to north and western India, while in the winters it
will be the other way around.”
The link is believed to be the world’s largest multi-terminal
800kV HVDC project, comprising 3,000MW HVDC terminals
at Biswanath Chariyali and Alipurduar and a 6,000MW
terminal at Agra.
The north eastern region, together with Sikkim and Bhutan,
has huge hydro generation potential, estimated at around
65,000MW.
Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd – India
Website:
Elite acquisition
India’s Sterlite Technologies will acquire Elitecore
Technologies, a telecom software company, for an
enterprise value of around $27.3 million.
Established in 1999, and majority owned by investment firm
First Carlyle Ventures Mauritius, Elitecore delivers business
support systems, packet core and carrier wi-fi solutions for
52 communication service providers across 40 countries. Its
other products include 24 online access gateway and NEOX
IP telephony.
Sterlite explained that the acquisition opens up access to a
multi-billion dollar market which, when combined with the
existing large and expanding market for optical products
globally, significantly enhances its overall growth
opportunity.
Both Sterlite and Elitecore cater to some of the largest
telecom service providers globally and this acquisition will
enable both companies to cross-sell their products.
Sterlite is committed to growing its optical products
business and has implemented expansion plans to increase
capacity. The acquisition of Elitecore allows Sterlite to offer
solutions for operations support, business support and
revenue management.
Elitecore Technologies will be merged into Sterlite
Technologies, once the transaction has been completed.
The transaction is expected to be value accretive by FY
2017 and is expected to be closed shortly, subject to the
completion of regulatory and statutory formalities.
Sterlite Technologies – India
Website:
Elite Technologies Pvt Ltd – India
Website:
Powering ahead
The Andhra Pradesh government plans to expand power
generation capacity, in response to the prediction that
demand will more than double by 2018.
The AP power sector is working towards a total installed
capacity of 29,000MW, from the present installed capacity
of around 10,222MW. By 2019 the additional generation
capacity will come from thermal (7,090MW), hydro
(1,010MW), solar (4,530MW), wind (4,000MW), and a
1,600MW share of central generating stations.
Among other energy-efficient initiatives, the chief minister
last year launched an LED bulbs distribution programme in
Guntur, Srikakulam, Anantapur and West Godavari districts,
which will now extend to other regions.
To ensure 24/7 power to all consumers, the state chief
minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, is looking to develop
Amaravati, the new capital city of Andhra Pradesh, as an
energy-efficient city. Now under development, Amaravati
will incorporate energy saving systems from the design
stage onwards.
Andhra Pradesh Government – India
Website:
Festival power safety
To ensure full safety for the anticipated thousands of visiting
pilgrims, underground cables are being laid around the
Mahamaham tank at Kumbakonam to take electric wires to
houses, halls and buildings. The Mahamaham festival will be
held on 22nd February 2016.
“We are doing away with overhead electric lines and are
laying underground cables as a safety measure in view of
the crowd expected to take a holy dip in the Mahamaham
tanks,” said engineers of the Tamil Nadu Generation
Distribution Corporation (Tangedco).
Cables have been laid for a distance of 1.7km around the
tank and a total 3.4km, including connections, taken to
houses and other establishments. Street lights maintained
by the Kumbakonam municipality are already supplied by
underground cables.
Tangedco is fencing transformers at vantage points as a
safety measure. New transformers and wires have already
been installed at various places in the temple town.
Tamil Nadu Generation Distribution Corporation – India
Website: