India’s hi-voltage transmission network crosses 5 lakh ckm mark

NEW DELHI: Amid concerns over inadequacy of the grid to evacuate power from renewable energy projects, the govt on Thursday said that India’s high-voltage (220 kV and above) power transmission network had crossed the 5 lakh circuit kilometre (ckm) mark with the addition of 628 ckm in Rajasthan earlier this month.With India targeting 500 gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy capacity by 2030, strengthening the high-voltage inter- and intra-state transmission network is crucial for evacuating green energy and ensuring grid stability. Sources said the govt has planned to expand the high-voltage transmission network to 6.5 lakh ckm by 2032. It has added 2.1 lakh ckm since April 2014. However, it failed to achieve the annual target in the 2024–25 financial year and the figure has been considerably short of target in the ongoing fiscal as well.Officials said that in FY25, only 8,830 ckm of new transmission lines were commissioned, as against a target of 15,253 ckm, reflecting a 42% shortfall, while 6,961 ckm have been added till Dec, as against a target of 15,382 ckm for FY26.According to officials, the world’s largest synchronous national grid crossed the 5 lakh ckm milestone on Jan 14 with the commissioning of a 765-kV transmission line for evacuation of 1,100 MW of green energy from Bhadla, Ramgarh and Fatehgarh solar power complex in the Rajasthan renewable energy zone.

The ministry of power, in a statement, said that 40,000 ckm of transmission network is currently being built under inter-state transmission projects, while 27,500 ckm of intra-state transmission projects are under implementation. These are expected to enhance grid reliability and power evacuation capability. While transformation capacity has increased to 1,407 gigavolt ampere (GVA), officials said it is expected to reach 2,345 GVA by 2032.A senior power department official said further strengthening of the transmission network is among the key issues being discussed at a two-day ‘chintan shivir’, a brainstorming session of ministers and senior officials from the Union ministry and state power departments and related public sector undertakings, which began on Thursday at Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh. Officials said the financial health of power discoms, the final draft of the Electricity Amendment Bill, installation of smart meters, challenges in the generation sector, energy goals and security and new technologies will also be discussed at the Shivir.Nearly 65 state-run and private power distribution companies posted a combined PAT (profit after tax) of ₹2,700 crore in FY25. However, officials said that ₹6.9 lakh crore of accumulated losses and nearly ₹7.2 lakh crore of outstanding debt remain a major cause for concern and will come up for discussion, along with high cross-subsidies, the need for cost-reflective tariffs and improvements in billing and recovery efficiency.Ministers and officials are also likely to discuss comments received from various stakeholders on the draft Electricity Amendment Bill, which is expected to be tabled in Parliament during the upcoming Budget session.