CM Bhagwant Mann sets up 66 kV Grid Substation for Derabassi belt
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The Chief Minister's Office of Punjab announced on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 that the Punjab Government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has established a 66 kV Grid Substation to strengthen power infrastructure across the rapidly growing industrial and residential zones of Mubarikpur, Derabassi, and Lalru.
Context
The project, valued at ₹9.60 crore, is aimed at addressing electricity distribution demands in one of Punjab's most industrially active corridors. The three areas — Mubarikpur, Derabassi, and Lalru — fall within the Mohali district and SAS Nagar belt, a zone that has witnessed sustained growth in manufacturing units and residential colonies over the past decade. A 66 kV substation upgrades transmission capacity at the distribution level, reducing voltage fluctuations and load-shedding for end consumers.
Policy Backdrop
Punjab has periodically upgraded its 66 kV and 220 kV substation network since the 2010s to ease transmission bottlenecks, particularly along industrial belts near Mohali. The Aam Aadmi Party government, which came to power in March 2022 under Bhagwant Mann, has continued this trajectory with incremental power-distribution investments targeting the Chandigarh tri-city periphery. Successive state administrations have treated such projects as tools to reduce industrial outages and signal investor-friendliness in the region.
Stakeholders and Impact
The primary beneficiaries of the new substation are industrial units and local residents in the Mubarikpur–Derabassi–Lalru triangle. Derabassi is a significant manufacturing hub within SAS Nagar district, while Lalru, adjacent to it in Mohali district, has seen rapid expansion in both light industry and housing. Reliable power supply is a recurring demand from businesses and households in these areas, and a dedicated 66 kV feeder is expected to reduce dependence on overloaded existing lines.
What's Next
Observers will watch for the substation's commissioning timeline and its measurable impact on load management and outage frequency in the corridor. The Punjab government may also announce parallel upgrades — including 220 kV infrastructure or renewable-energy-linked distribution projects — in the same industrial belt as part of a broader grid-strengthening programme. The Derabassi–Lalru zone's continued industrial expansion will keep pressure on the state's power utility to scale capacity ahead of demand.