BL reported that Bangalore Electricity Supply Company has undertaken INR 563 crore programs for automation of its distribution system by 2011-12.

Mr Tushar Giri Nath MD of Bescom said that the effort will be undertaken with the help of INR 417 crore loans from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

Addressing a conference on Karnataka Power, organised by the Confederation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mr Giri Nath said that the five electricity supply companies in the State would invest INR 470 crore to reduce aggregate technical and commercial losses in 100 towns. Bescom’s plan was to reduce the AT&C losses of 25 select towns to less than 15 per cent over a period of five years.

Mr Giri Nath said that the INR 283 crore projects to cut AT&C costs, under the Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Program would involve towns with a population of more than 30,000 as per the 2001 Census.

Expecting a demand-supply shortfall of more than 3,000 MW, Mr Nath said that the exercise would include reducing AT&C losses by three percentage points annually, if the existing AT&C losses were more than 30% and by 1.5 percentage points annually, if the existing AT&C losses were less than 30%.

(Sourced from Business Line)