Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated three new grid substations and eight key transmission lines at Balianta here on Thursday. The newly commissioned grid substations at Balianta, Satyanagar and SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack were set up at an investment of around Rs 600 crore.
The substations are expected to benefit nearly 22 lakh consumers across Bhubaneswar and adjoining regions by ensuring uninterrupted, high-quality electricity supply. The Balianta grid connects the capital to an alternative power source, significantly strengthening redundancy and reliability in the system.
Addressing the gathering, Majhi said these grid substations were approved earlier, but their execution was delayed due to legal hurdles and administrative challenges. “After the new government assumed office, the projects were prioritised, bottlenecks were resolved and work commenced,” he said.
Within a short span of time, the Chief Minister said, Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL) has completed four major grid infrastructure projects, including the Nayapalli substation, which became operational last year.
Highlighting the state’s long-term vision, the CM said power demand in Bhubaneswar is projected to double from the current 1,000 MW to 2,000 MW by 2030. “The government is committed to future-ready infrastructure. The newly built gas-insulated system (GIS) substations and associated transmission lines will ensure stable, uninterrupted and quality power, which is crucial for the growth of industry, IT, business and urban life,” he said.
Majhi said Odisha’s power infrastructure is being reconfigured in line with the Digital India vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The state has, for the first time, developed a digital grid substation and is planning a 765 kV transmission network for the capital region. Future plans also include linking Cuttack and Bhubaneswar through multiple feeder lines to enhance grid resilience, he informed.
OPTCL has emerged as a national leader by remotely operating 70 grid substations, enabling improved monitoring, faster fault detection and optimal utilisation of manpower. After reviewing the local power situation, Majhi directed Tata Power to add three more feeders to improve supply in areas such as Bhingarpur, Uttampur, Gangeswar, Pandara, Jagannath Nagar, Mangaraj and Palasuni.
Officials said the 220/132/33 kV GIS substation at Balianta marks a significant milestone by establishing strong connectivity with Cuttack and Mancheswar, enhancing the capital city’s power security. The 132/33 kV GIS substation at Satyanagar, located in the city centre, is designed to cater to rapidly rising urban demand, while the substation at SCB Medical College will ensure uninterrupted electricity for critical healthcare services in Cuttack.
With the commissioning of these projects, Bhubaneswar will be firmly integrated into the 132 kV and 220 kV transmission network, improving grid stability and reliability.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also announced major investments in river restoration projects around Bhubaneswar. He said Rs 300 crore has been sanctioned for the revival of the Prachi river, Rs 170 crore for the Daya river, Rs 75 crore for the Dhanuya river in the Bhubaneswar-Jayadev region and Rs 400 crore for the Daya west canal under the Sanjeevani Yojana. Work on these projects is expected to commence soon, he said.
Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said the projects fulfil a key promise made by the government and will address persistent issues such as low voltage in Balianta and Bhubaneswar areas. He emphasised the importance of public cooperation in executing such large-scale infrastructure in less than two years.
Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, Jayadev MLA Nabakishore Mallick, OPTCL CMD Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma and Khurda Collector Amrit Ruturaj were present, among others.
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