Chennai, Sept 30:
The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has floated a tender to establish high-voltage electrical infrastructure at three of its major depots in Chennai as part of preparations for the large-scale operation of electric buses.
The Avadi, Perambur and K K Nagar depots have been selected for the installation of high-voltage substation facilities to support the charging requirements of electric buses. The infrastructure is expected to enable uninterrupted charging and support high-speed charging facilities at the depots.
As per the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) specifications, each depot will have a 2,500 KVA, 33KV/433V outdoor oil-cooled transformer, along with a 33 KV, 800A vacuum circuit breaker and HT RMG panels.
The tender has been floated with an earnest money deposit of Rs 1 lakh. Interested agencies can submit their bids online until 2.30 pm on November 4.
Similar 33 KV high-voltage infrastructure has already been established at depots of transport corporations in cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai to support their electric bus fleets.
While such high-capacity electrical systems have so far been largely associated with Chennai Metro facilities, their introduction at MTC depots marks an important step towards strengthening the city’s infrastructure for electric public transport.