Gandhinagar, DeshGujarat

Pashchim Gujarat Vij Company Limited(PGVCL) is all set to supply power to the last dark corner of Gujarat. PGVCL showcased its project to supply power to Shiyal Bet island through 6 km long undersea project in recently concluded Vibrant Gujarat Global Trade Fair, organized in Gandhinagar. PGVCL officials at GUVNL pavilion in Global Tade Show told DeshGujarat that cable laying work is going on in Arabian sea by a Vadodara headquartered firm, and it is likely to complete by March this year. PGVCL official clarified that due to rough sea condition, the cable laying task continues with frequent intervals. He said, the shortest route from mainland to Shiyal bet was 1.5 km from Pipavav port side, but that option was skipped, because ships that anchor at port site could damage the undersea cable. PGVCL official gave example of Okha-Bet Dwarka sea cable which attracts faults due to ships that anchor at Okha port. He said, PGVCL has therefore selected the other route for Shiyal Bet undersea cable project which is longer but relatively safer.

Official further shared the detail that one option was solar power run island, but villagers were not ready for that option. They said they are into fishing, and there’s good catch of fishes available in that area. They said they want to install cold storage, and therefore they want regular power and not solar power.

Shiyal Bet island situated on the opposite side of Pipavav Port in Amreli district of Gujarat is the only place in Gujarat without electricity. Surrounded by Arabian sea in all direction, Shiyal Bet is likely to get electricity probably by middle of this year. The state government arm Pashchim Gujarat Vij Company Limited (PGVCL) awarded the tender for laying the 6-km long underwater cable to supply electricity to Shiyal Bet island on turnkey basis last year. Rs. 18 crore task mainly involves laying the cables in high density polyethylene pipes on seabed, installation of transformers, transmission and feeder lines and 500-2000 power connections.

After completion of Shiyal Bet project, there will be no place inhabited by humans in Gujarat without electricity.

In past on two occasions, Shiyal Bet electrification project failed to kick off even after tendering process. Shiyal bet has around 9,000 population, of which 90% are fishermen while rest 10% are involved in farming. At present, the people on this bet survive with kerosene lamps. They also use lights operated by solar panel and other equipments operated by diesel generator. According to local Sarpanch Sitharbhai, on earlier occasion electricity supply project for Shiyal Bet failed to materialize due to objection by Pipavav port which is located at 1.5 km distance from this bet. However this time the government has decided to lay cable from Chanch island of Bhavnagar district which is located 6 km away from Shiyal.

Residential connections: 1200
Commercial connections: 35
LT MD connections: 11
Length of 11 KV submarine cable(single core) 6 km
Total cables: 4 number of single core sub marine cables
Total length of cable: 24 km
:HT line 13 km at Chanch Bandar side from 66 kv
Vanger S/S and 1.7 km at Shiyalbet.
LT line 9 km.
4 number of 100 KVA distribution transformers
Project cost(approximately): Rs. 17.51 crore

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