MNRE reviews inter-state electricity transmission system implementation

Considering India’s RE potential in various regions of the country, the government has formulated a comprehensive transmission plan to evacuate 537 GW of renewable energy capacity.

Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy R.K. Singh recently chaired a meeting in Jaipur, Rajasthan to review the progress of the Inter-State Transmission System in the country. The Inter-State Transmission System is vital in meeting the electricity needs of citizens by facilitating the transfer of power from power surplus to power-deficit areas.

Referring to India’s commitment to achieving the target of having 50 percent of installed electricity generation capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030, the Power Minister emphasized that the development of associated transmission infrastructure is crucial to achieving this. By 2030, the country’s installed power capacity is expected to surpass 777 GW, and the peak demand is projected to reach 335 GW. Given this, a comprehensive transmission plan to evacuate 537 GW of renewable energy capacity has been formulated, considering the renewable energy potential in different parts of the country. The plan was released by the Power Minister in December 2022.

During the review of the Inter-State Transmission System, Singh focused on the progress of projects in the planning and bidding phases, as well as those under implementation. The challenges faced in project execution were thoroughly discussed, based on which the Minister issued directions to resolve the issues and ensure early project completion.

Singh emphasised that transmission planning should consider emerging requirements such as Green Hydrogen production, an increase in conventional generation capacity to meet growing power demand, and offshore wind generation in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. He reviewed the Inter-State Transmission Plan for key states rich in renewable energy, namely Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra.

A detailed review of the Inter-State and Intra-State Transmission Plans for states in the North Eastern Region was also conducted to meet the power demand of the region by 2030, while also evacuating power from upcoming hydro projects in the region.

The Minister directed that the transmission plan should be dynamic and sensitive to the changing needs of the sector. He emphasized to the concerned departments that the development of transmission infrastructure should be ahead of generation to avoid any constraints in power evacuation.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary, Ministry of Power; Chairperson, Central Electricity Authority; and other key officials from the Central Transmission Utility, POWERGRID, REC, PFC, and Ministry of Power.