The Govt. of India has proposed to continue R-APDRP during the XI Plan with revised terms and conditions as a Central Sector Scheme. The focus of the programme shall be on actual, demonstrable performance in terms of sustained loss reduction. Establishment of reliable and automated systems for sustained collection of accurate base line data, and the adoption of Information Technology in the areas of energy accounting will be essential before taking up the regular distribution strengthening projects.

Govt. of India, vide order dated 19.9.2008, had announced Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Program (RAPDRP) for Distribution strengthening of State Power utilities and bringing down the Aggregate Technical and commercial (AT&C) losses to 15% by the end of the project period.

Projects under the scheme shall be taken up in Two Parts. Part-A shall include the projects for establishment of baseline data and IT applications for energy accounting/auditing & IT based consumer service centres. Part-B shall include regular distribution strengthening projects. The activities to be covered under each part are as follows:

Part - A: Preparation of Base-line data for the project area covering Consumer Indexing, GIS Mapping, Metering of Distribution Transformers and Feeders, and Automatic Data Logging for all Distribution Transformers and Feeders and SCADA / DMS system (only in the project area having more than 4 lacs population and annual input energy of the order of 350 MU). It would include Asset mapping of the entire distribution network at and below the 11kV transformers and include the Distribution Transformers and Feeders, Low Tension lines, poles and other distribution network equipment. It will also include adoption of IT applications for meter reading, billing & collection; energy accounting & auditing; MIS; redressal of consumer grievances; establishment of IT enabled consumer service centres etc. The base line data and required system shall be verified by an independent agency appointed by the Ministry of Power. The list of works is only indicative.

Part - B: Renovation, modernization and strengthening of 11 kV level Substations, Transformers/Transformer Centers, Re-conductoring of lines at 11kV level and below, Load Bifurcation, feeder separation, Load Balancing, HVDS (11kV), Aerial Bunched Conductoring in dense areas, replacement of electromagnetic energy meters with tamper proof electronics meters, installation of capacitor banks and mobile service centres etc. In exceptional cases, where sub-transmission system is weak, strengthening at 33 kV or 66 kV levels may also be considered.

The major projects proposed for implementation under the scheme are as follows

1. Establishment of Wide Area Network for KSEB – For connecting all the major offices
2. Establishment of Data Centre – For hosting all the Server systems of Software Applications
3. Energy Auditing – For measuring and reducing losses
4. GIS based consumer indexing and asset mapping–Digital map and database of Consumers and assets
5. Centralised customer care services – Providing consumers centralized service point
6. Web self services – Allow consumers to communicate with KSEB though the web

In addition, SCADA/DMS project is also included in RAPDRP for which three towns, viz. Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode has been qualified as per PFC guidelines. The DPR for SCADA/DMS is under preparation and is expected to be submitted to PFC for approval by June 2010.
Once RAPDRP and allied projects are successfully completed, consumers and public will be considerably benefited in terms of the following:
• Online payment of Electricity bills through credit cards, debit cards, bank accounts etc. Also collection accepted through any of the collection centres
• View/Print Electricity bills of all consumers through Internet
• Online registration of applications and complaints and status evaluation
• Faster fault identification and complaint rectification.
• Reduction of AT&C losses and the ensuing financial benefits to KSEB, which in turn can be passed on to the consumers.

Status of Implementation of R-APDRP works

Part A SCADA Tendering Activities

The present status of SCADA tendering activities is as follows:

• Pre bid conference conducted on 13.4.2012.
• Technical bid opened on 15.06.2012. Six bidders participated.
• M/s Kalkitech submitted the technical evaluation report on 11.07.2012
• Solution Demo presentation was made by all bidders from 12.07.2012 to 21.07.2012.
• Decision on the technical evaluation observations/remarks taken by the Bid Finalisation Committee on 23.07.2012.
• Clarification regarding the technical evaluation has been sought from the bidders on 1.08.2012.

Last date for submitting clarifications is 9.08.2012.

R-APDRP Part-B

Out of 43 eligible schemes, 42 schemes were sanctioned by Ministry of Power, Government of India.  For a total project cost of Rs. 872.17Cr under Part B. The sanction details are as shown below:

Sl no	Schemes sanctioned	Date of sanction	Sanctioned Project cost (Rs.Crs)
1	11 schemes	02.06.2010	93.89
2	21 schemes	08.12.2010	267.23
3	8 schemes	16.08.2010	142.31
4	2 schemes	22.02.2011	368.74
5	1 Scheme (Thiruvananthapuram)	03.08.2012	178.77
6	Additional amount for Alappuzha, Kannur, Attingal, Varkala& Kodungallur	03.08.2012	27.36
	Total		1078.3

II. Ring fencing & Base line data collection

     Ring fencing in all the 43 schemes were completed on 15^th of March 2011. M/s Wapcos,  the Third Party Independent Evaluation Agency (TPIEA) appointed, by M/s Power Finance Corporation Ltd, for verification of ring fencing and base line data, has completed verification of ring fencing in all the 43 scheme areas.

Base line data of all the schemes submitted to Wapcos. Reply to observation on submitted reports of 9 towns is pending. The same will be submitted within two weeks.

The status of reports submitted to PFC as well as M/s Wapcos (TPIEA) is  as listed below;

Sl no	Reports under evaluation by TPIEA	Sl no	Reports submitted to PFC/HQ (by TPIEA)	Sl no	Reports under revision by KSEB	Sl no	Reports finalized by PFC
1	Kozhikode	1	Thiruvanthapuram	1	Attingal	1	Changanacherry
2	Kollam	2	Kottayam	2	Punalur	2	Kunnamkulam
3	Thrissur	3	Aroor	3	Neyyattinkara	3	Mattannur
4	Kochi	4	Kayamkulam	4	Varkala	4	Chalakudy
5	Ottapalam	5	Thodupuzha	5	Thiruvalla	5	Kodungallur
6	Kanjangad	6	Cherthala	6	Kasaragod
7	Chokli - Peringathur	7	Pappinissery	7	Perinthalmanna
8	Alappuzha	8	Malappuram
9	Kannur	9	Paravur
10	Vadakara	10	Guruvayur
11	Koyilandy	11	Chittur
12	Ponnani	12	Nedumangad
13	Shornur	13	Pathanmthitta
14	Tirur	14	Payyannur
15	Palakkad	15	Taliparamba
16	Kothamangalam

 

IV.      R-APDRP Part-B scheme implementation –Status

          As instructed by the Government of India the work execution (departmentally) started in 40 scheme areas where AT&C loss is >20% (as per sanctioned DPR). As on date, works amounting to nearly Rs.113.6 Crs has been executed as on 31^st July 2012. The abstract of progress of works as on July 2012 is attached as Annexure-I.

Work in 2-scheme area (Kozhikode & Kochi) is decided to be executed on turnkey basis. Tender documents approved by Board. NIT published on 10.05.2012 & 30.05.2012 respectively for tendering Kozhikode & Kochi schemes. The date of opening of bid is 14.08.2012 for the two schemes. Pre qualification Committees to finalize the bid in both the schemes has been constituted.

 

R-APDRP Counter part funding

          K S E Board has decided to avail loan to the tune of Rs.654.13 Crores from REC/PFC for the financial year 2012-13 & 2013-14 as counter part funding (75% of project cost) for the execution of 42 schemes sanctioned under R-APDRP Part-B. In reply to the letter sent to both PFC & REC requesting the terms and conditions for availing loan under R-APDRP, M/s PFC has intimated their willingness to release 75% loan amount for all the 42 schemes, subject to the terms & conditions issued by them. Intimation from REC showing their willingness to grant Rs. 241.42Crs as loan for 36 schemes has also been received vide their letter dated 07.07.12 . The terms & conditions from both REC &PFC were forwarded to the Financial Advisor as well as Legal Advisor of Board for remarks and vetting the documents.

R-APDRP Incentive scheme

         The R-APDRP scheme envisages the provision of incentive for Utility staff in towns where the AT&C loss levels are brought to 15%. A maximum amount equivalent to 2% of the grant for Part-B project is allocated by MoP for this purpose. A minimum of 2% of the grant (Utility is free to contribute a higher percentage than 2%) for Part -B project has to be contributed by KSE Board to its staff from its own resources and disburse the total amount among its employees according to a suitably devised incentive scheme. An incentive scheme prepared based on the guidelines issued by PFC and approved by the Incentive Approval Committee has been forwarded to PFC on 3.6.2012 for sanction. Observations by PFC on the proposal submitted are under consideration. Revised proposal will be submitted to IAC shortly.