Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday laid the foundation stone for a 420/220 kV grid substation in Joda block, Keonjhar district, at an estimated cost of Rs 1,647 crore. The event coincided with the birth anniversary of Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das. Alongside, he inaugurated five new transmission lines, including sub-stations for Unchabali and Keonjhar.
Vision for Keonjhar as Second Jamshedpur
Addressing the gathering, Majhi announced plans to develop Keonjhar into the "second Jamshedpur of eastern India." He stated that the project will benefit approximately 7.17 lakh power consumers in Keonjhar Sadar, Telkoi, Jhumpura, Joda, and Barbil. Emphasizing the importance of uninterrupted and quality power supply for a developed society, the Chief Minister reiterated the government's commitment to transforming the mineral-rich district into "Sunara Kendujhar."
Balancing Industrial and Domestic Power Demand
The project aims to balance industrial and domestic power demand. Priority will be given to strengthening the Barbil and Palashpanga grids to prevent outages. Additionally, hotline maintenance technology will be introduced to enable repairs without disrupting power supply.
State Load Despatch Centre and STAMS Project
Majhi noted that the newly built State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC) at Mancheswar will function as the "heart" of Odisha's power management system. Under the STAMS project, 70 grids will be managed remotely, allowing quicker fault detection and resolution. He expressed confidence that these initiatives will make the state's transmission system world-class and support industrial growth.
Future Plans for Power Infrastructure
The Chief Minister highlighted that the number of electricity consumers in Odisha has crossed one crore. To meet future demand, 34 new grid substations will be established by 2036. Plans are also in place to set up 765 kV grid substations for the first time in Bhubaneswar, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, and Gajapati districts.
Commitment to Keonjhar's Development
Reiterating his dedication to the district, Majhi said Keonjhar has long contributed to the state's prosperity and now deserves focused development. He referred to ongoing infrastructure projects such as the proposed mega ring road and a mega steel plant. He also mentioned that Japan's JFE Steel has proposed to set up a unit in the district to manufacture electrical steel. Infrastructure is being planned to meet industrial needs for the next two decades.
Deputy Chief Minister's Remarks
Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo stated that the new grid substation will serve not only Keonjhar but also cater to power needs in Sundargarh, Angul, and Boudh (Bainda) regions. He said the government aims to electrify all remote and unconnected areas of Keonjhar and asserted that Odisha will overcome power-related challenges by 2028.
