Patna, Oct. 3: The Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB) is working on a plan to set up transmission line to ensure hassle-free power supply from Kanti in Muzaffarpur.

The construction to set up two units of 195MW each (390MW) has been undertaken at Kanti. It is a joint venture between the BSEB and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).

The state will get 264MW (67.7 per cent) as its share from the plant.

“The energy department has sanctioned Rs 26.12 crore to set up the line to transmit the power that would be generated from the Kanti plant. The board has been asked to complete the laying of transmission line by the time generation starts,” a source at the energy department said.

The source added that the amount (Rs 26.12 crore) has been sanctioned to the board in the form of loan and the board would repay it in 10 equal instalments. The board is liable to start repayment after one year from the date of withdrawal of the money.

According to the board’s target, the first unit at Kanti will be operational by June 2013 and the second by September 2013. However, sources in the board said the commissioning of the plants may get delayed because of slow pace of work and the first unit may be completed by October 2014, while the second by April 2015.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar in his Independence Day speech had promised the people of Bihar that he would not seek votes for the 2015 Assembly polls if he fails to provide power to them.

However, the biggest problem for the state is to modernise and strengthen the dilapidated transmission and distribution network of the state. Going by the progress of various projects being undertaken by the state, it is likely to get around 3,600MW of power by the end of 2015 through internal generation, its share in the central sector and purchase from private players.

According to a central electricity authority survey, Bihar’s projected peak demand would be around 4,000MW by the end of 2015 against the current demand of 3,000MW.