The State Government is seeking to know whether the proposed Kudankulam-Madakkathara transmission line could be swapped for a capacity boost-up of an existing 220-KV line. The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) have been asked to ascertain whether transmission could be taken up through more than one circuit along the 220-KV line. LOCAL PROTESTS A meeting chaired here by the Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, asked experts at the KSEB and the PGCIL to submit a report within 10 days. Among those who attended the meeting were Mr K. C. Venugopal, Union Minister of State for Power; Mr Aryadan Mohammed, Electricity Minister, Kerala; Mr T. N. Manoharan, Chairman, KSEB; and Mr R. N. Nayak, Chairman and Managing Director, PGCIL. The move comes in the backdrop of local protests to the drawing of a new line over that passes over standing crops and rubber trees in parts of the plantation-dense Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts. PGCIL CONCERN In its stated response made available over the past few years, the Standing Committee on Power System Planning in Southern Region has viewed with concern the growing opposition to its plan for evacuating power from Kudankulam and routing it into the State. According to the committee, re-routing of the alignment would translate into drawing of incremental route length of the transmission line, which could lead to massive cost overruns. This would also result in even more ‘violation' of virgin forest areas, apart from adding to the financial burden of the State Government. This might even render the project unviable in terms of expected socio-economical benefits. Under the transmission scheme, Kudankulam power was programmed to be brought to Thrissur via Kochi by setting up a new 400/220 kV substation at Kakkanad in Ernakulam. The affected districts fall within the footprint of this line. From Kakkanad, it would be directed onward to an existing 400/200 kV substation in Thrissur. These transmission lines were hoped would help in the creation of a high capacity transmission corridor to serve the long-term power requirement of Kerala. Any action to deviate from the route alignment will be a setback in regard to its capacity to draw Centrally-allocated share of power with a long-term perspective. The committee had also sought to make it clear that environmental and social policies and associated procedures would provide for proper compensation for inevitable damages caused to the vegetation, including plantation trees/standing crops.