“A 66/11 KV grid is essentially the last step in distribution. It transmits power to individual homes and other set-ups. It is often also the area where technical problems arise, leading to power cuts,” a senior official in the Power department said.

Discom BSES, which will be responsible for setting up this grid and supplying power to the Games Village, will also ensure that two separate 25 MV-transformers are set up at the site. “We are following very stringent measures. According to international standards and guidelines, two transformers are required to be set up where one will perform the primary function of distribution and the other will serve as backup, should any technical problems arise,” Lalit Jalan, BSES chairman, said.

The grid will be built in the Games campus, near the Akshardham Temple, at a cost of Rs 40 crore. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who on Saturday laid the foundation stone for the grid, said an “uninterrupted power supply will play a pivotal role” in Delhi putting its best foot forward as host of the Games. Dikshit said the grid is likely to be completed towards the end of this year.

Industry experts, however, held otherwise. “Construction will now begin at a breakneck speed but even a minor halt due to unforeseen reasons could pose a problem,” a Power department official said.

The chief minister, who also holds the Power portfolio, was keen to point out that the grid will be a permanent structure. “It will also distribute power to many colonies in East Delhi,” she said.

With the grid set to be located within the Games Village, special attention will be paid to landscaping.

DERC a defunct body: Sandeep Dikshit