Keonjhar: On the birth anniversary of Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi laid foundation stone for a 420/220 KV grid substation to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 1,647 crore at Uchhabali in Joda block of Keonjhar district. On the occasion, he announced plans to develop Keonjhar as the second Jamshedpur of eastern India.
Chief Minister also inaugurated five new transmission lines, including Uchhabali’s substation. The project will benefit around 7.17 lakh consumers in Keonjhar Sadar, Telkoi, Jhumpura, Joda and Barbil areas. He said quality and uninterrupted power supply is a hallmark of a developed society and added that the government is committed to transforming mineral-rich Keonjhar into a ‘golden’ district. Highlighting various features of the project, he said it will help maintain a balance between industrial and domestic demand.
He added that priority will be given to upgrading the Barbil and Palaspanga grids to prevent power disruptions. The government is also set to implement a hotline maintenance system, which will allow repair work even while electricity is flowing through the lines.
The newly built State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC) at Mancheswar will function like ‘heart’ of the state’s power management system. He said under the STAMS project, 70 grids will be remotely managed, and faults will be resolved quickly. He expressed hope that this will make Odisha’s future power transmission system world-class while supporting industrial growth.
Highlighting the state’s power infrastructure, the Chief Minister said the number of electricity consumers has increased from 16 lakh in 2000 to 1 crore now. To sustain this growth, 34 new grid substations will be set up by 2036. Plans are in place to build 765 KV grids for the first time in Bhubaneswar, Jajpur, Jharsuguda and Gajapati. The new SLDC at Mancheswar will further enhance power management.
Reiterating his commitment to Keonjhar, he said the district, rich in mineral resources, will be transformed into a ‘golden’ Keonjhar. He said the time has come to give back to Keonjhar for its contribution to the state’s prosperity. He also spoke about the Barbil ring road work and a proposed mega steel plant, stating that Japan’s JFE Steel has been invited to set up a plant in Keonjhar to produce ‘electrical steel’ in the future. Infrastructure is being developed to meet the industrial demand for the next 20 years. He asserted that developing Keonjhar is his responsibility and expressed confidence that Odisha will become a prosperous state in the next 10 years.
Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said the government is committed to expanding the power system across the state. He said the new grid substation will not only benefit Keonjhar but also extend power supply to Sundargarh, Angul and Boinda regions. He added that the goal is to provide electricity to all remote areas in Keonjhar that currently lack connections. As per the Prime Minister’s direction, Odisha will come out of the power crisis by 2028.