The Government of India has sanctioned new transmission projects worth Rs 13,595 crore to evacuate 4.5 GW of renewable energy each from Rajasthan and Karnataka.
These projects involve the establishment of an Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) to facilitate the evacuation of a total of 9 GW of renewable energy from these two states. The projects will be executed through the Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) method and are part of the larger plan to achieve 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, of which 200 GW has already been connected.
The approved projects include the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) scheme, which will evacuate 4.5 GW of renewable energy from Rajasthan. This includes 1 GW from the Fatehgarh complex, 2.5 GW from the Barmer complex, and 1 GW from the Nagaur (Merta) complex. The evacuated power will be transmitted to the Mainpuri Region, Fatehpur, and Orai in Uttar Pradesh. The project is expected to be completed in two years at an estimated cost of Rs 12,241 crore. Additionally, the system strengthening scheme in Karnataka will evacuate 4.5 GW of renewable energy from the Koppal and Gadag areas, with a project cost of Rs 1,354 crore, scheduled for completion by June 2027.
During the first half of 2024, 168 new projects were announced in the Power Distribution sector across India, with a total investment of Rs 13,946.04 crore. This investment highlights the focus on enhancing the power distribution infrastructure nationwide to support the new power generation projects emerging across various states.
Punjab and Maharashtra have emerged as the leading states in terms of the number of projects, while Punjab and Rajasthan lead in terms of planned investment. Punjab, with 31 projects totalling Rs 2,271.82 crore, ranks first both in the number of projects and total investment.
These investments are essential for meeting the power distribution requirements of these states and ensuring a reliable power supply to cater to future demands.
