Dhanbad: Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited's dependence on Damodar Valley Corporation could soon be a thing of the past as a 250MW power grid substation, which has been lying idle for months because of lack of forest clearance, is likely to become operational by the end of this year.

Once commissioned, it will draw power from Lalpania-based substation of Tenughat Vidyut Nigam Limited (TVNL) and JBVNL's Dumka grid substation to meet the needs of coal town and its neighbouring areas and thus reduce Dhanbad's reliance on Damodar Valley Corporation.

"The 250MW substation will draw around 50MW from Dumka grid substation of JBVNL, which was inaugurated by chief minster Raghubar Das on July 24, 2015, and 200MW from Lalpania-based thermal power plant of Tenughat Vidyut Nigam Limited which is connected to the power grid at Biharsharif in Bihar," sources in the power department said.

S. Mahli, the electrical superintending engineer (transmission) of JBVNL, Dhanbad, said forest clearance was a complicated process as funds to compensate damage to vegetation and land on account of setting up towers need to be deposited with the Union ministry of environment and forests after proper calculation. "We have recently deposited Rs 13 crore and are expecting to get the clearance from them soon," he said.

The foundation of the substation, set up by Jharkhand Urja Sancharan Limited, was laid by then energy minister Rajendra Singh in December, 2013 at Kandra Industrial Area in Govindpur in presence of then animal husbandry minister Mannan Mallick and former Tundi MLA Mathura Prasad Mahto.

JBVNL currently draws around 180MW from six feeders of Damodar Valley Corporation - Putki feeder for Dhanbad town and Katras, Patherdih feeder for Jharia and surrounding areas, Bhetia feeder for suburban areas of the coal town, Kumardubi feeder for Kumbardubi and Chirkunda and Maithon feeder for Nirsa, Mugma and adjoining areas.

For all these years, JBVNL had been facing the rage of its consumers because of regular faults in the feeder substation followed by hours of load sheddings almost daily.

The new substation will meet the requirements of at least four power substations of Dhanbad circle such as Dhaiya, Bhuli, Hirapur and PMCH.

In a related development, the foundation stone of a 20MW substation was laid by Dhanbad MLA Raj Sinha at Nawadih here on Monday.