MANGALORE: The Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd. (MESCOM) will take up infrastructure work in a big way in Mangalore in view of the clearance given to the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) complex.

Outlining the infrastructure designs for Mangalore to presspersons here on Thursday, Managing Director of MESCOM, S. Sumanth, said it is certain that Mangalore will be attracting big investments in the petroleum sector as well as the export sector in the next three years and MESCOM will be ready with the infrastructure to cater to the projected growth.

Future plans

MESCOM will set up five sub-stations of 33 KV at Kadri, Kudroli, Attavar, Nandigudda and Tanklane. Mr. Sumanth said the Mangalore City Corporation has been asked to provide land for four of the sub stations, while the sub-station at Attavar will come up in MESCOM land in that area.

Various financial institutions have also been approached for funding the sub-stations and accordance to the plan, the stations should be ready within a period of 18 months, he stated. The cost of all the five stations is estimated at Rs. 26 crores, he added.

Speaking on the financial aspects, Mr. Sumanth said there is a gap between the actual cost and the receipts, which works out to 5 paisa per unit consumed in MESCOM during 2004-05, and this gap is likely to widen to 26 paisa per unit in 2005-06.

The assumption is made on the basis that the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company (KIOCL) will stop production in December following an order by the Supreme Court. He said KIOCL was one of the large-scale electricity users of MESCOM and uses nearly 1 million units per day, which earns MESCOM Rs. 12 crores to Rs. 16 crores per annum.

MESCOM will provide uninterrupted power supply to its customers with HT connections as an incentive for higher usage, although this will come at a cost, he said.

Additional load

For those customers with HT connections who can assure MESCOM of 25 per cent more power usage, MESCOM will put additional load as well as lay special lines and 55 per cent of the cost will be borne by MESCOM, Mr. Sumanth said.

Two consumers in Shimoga have opted for this service and are satisfied with the service, he added.

Mr. Sumanth said that MESCOM will go on a recruitment drive soon.

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