PATNA, June 30 -- In order to meet its projected electricity demand of 18,708 MW by 2034-35, Bihar has readied it blueprint of Rs.12,869.2 crore transmission upgrade. It is double of its existing demand of 8,428 MW, said Manoj Kumar Singh, Bihar's energy secretary and chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) of the Bihar State Power Holding Company Ltd. (BSPHCL), in a statement issued in Patna on Saturday. The ambitious plan, seen as a decisive step towards energy self-reliance, outlines a massive expansion of the intra-state power transmission network. The proposal comes in the wake of the Union power ministry's newly issued guidelines for Resource Adequacy Planning Framework for India, prepared in consultation with the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) on June 27, under which a long-term national resource adequacy plan has been developed, said the press release. Bihar's electricity demand is expected to double in the next decade, from 8,428 MW in 2025 to 18,708 MW by 2034-35, as per a study conducted jointly by the Bihar State Power Transmission Company Ltd (BSPTCL), CEA, and the Central Transmission Utility of India Ltd (CTUIL) and Grid-India. To cater to this demand surge, the state will require 23,430 MVA of transformation capacity upgradation, which refers to the process of increasing the capacity of electrical transmission and distribution systems, specifically focusing on substations and transformers. For this, the project will require 5,422 circuit kilometres (cm) of new transmission lines; 459 cm of reconductoring of existing lines and enhanced reactive power compensation at various substations to maintain voltage stability. "This transmission plan is not merely a technical exercise; it is a strategic vision to ensure uninterrupted, affordable and high-quality electricity access for the people of Bihar. It is fundamental to our goal of 24x7 power for all," said the statement quoting Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Bihar's energy minister....