The Bihar State Power Transmission Company Ltd has taken steps to reconductor 120km of 220KV transmission lines to ensure better power supply to Patna, Bodhgaya and Biharsharif from different sources.

The company will float the tender on Wednesday to complete the reconductoring work of the 40km Biharsharif-Fatuha transmission line and 80km Biharsharif-Bodhgaya transmission line. Reconductoring consists of replacing existing transmission line conductors (wires) with higher capacity conductors.

The company also looks to install new transmission line towers. The tender document mentions that the work would be completed within eight months from the date of the award of contract.

A source in the power company said: “This is being done to enhance the capacity to supply power, as the old conductors have become weak. The wires, apart from being vulnerable to snapping because thunderstorms or inclement weather, are also incapable of taking too much load.”

The areas that will benefit from the strengthening of the transmission lines, apart from Biharsharif, are Patna and Bodhgaya. Sources said reconductoring of the 220KV Biharsharif-Fatuha transmission line would help in providing smooth and quality power supply to Patna — among the eight grid sub stations that supply power to urban Patna and its suburban areas, one is in Fatuha. The 220KV Biharsharif-Bodhgaya transmission line would ensure better and smooth power supply for Bodhgaya area.

The tender for the project would be floated on June 26 and interested bidders can buy tender document till July 18.

While the pre-bid conference will be held on July 12 when the power company officials would try to clear any doubts of the prospective bidders, the technical (to assess the capability) and commercial (to assess the viability) bids would be opened on July 19.

The transmission company has stepped up work on strengthening the network following chief minister Nitish Kumar’s announcement of not asking for votes for 2015 if he fails to provide power to every household by October-November 2015 — when the elections are due.

In the past few months, the state power transmission company has taken steps, including constructing 19 grid sub stations and laying new transmission lines, to improve the transmission network.

The company, which formed a joint venture with Power Grid Corporation of India, aims to achieve a transmission capacity to supply 5,660MW by the end of the Twelfth Five-Year Plan.