Transmission Plan for Integration of over 900 GW Non-Fossil Fuel Capacity by 2035-36 – EQ

Summary:

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**Core Objective:**
This report outlines the comprehensive transmission system plan required to integrate over 900 GW of non-fossil fuel-based electricity generation capacity into India’s national grid by the fiscal year 2035-36. This plan significantly exceeds the projected requirement of ~786 GW, accounting for implementation challenges and aiming to provide a robust and future-ready infrastructure to support India’s energy transition goals.

**Key Drivers:**
1. **Growing Demand:** India’s peak electricity demand is projected to reach 459 GW by 2035-36.
2. **Aggressive RE Targets:** The plan supports the target of 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030 and the subsequent growth to ~786 GW (including ~664 GW from solar and wind) by 2035-36. The report plans for over 900 GW to ensure readiness.
3. **Strategic Planning:** Recognizing that transmission infrastructure has a longer gestation period than renewable energy (RE) projects, this plan is designed to be implemented proactively and in phases, ensuring that evacuation infrastructure is ready when generation capacity is commissioned.

**Current Status (as of February 28, 2026):**
– Total installed capacity: 524 GW
– Non-fossil fuel capacity: 275.5 GW (52.5%), comprising Hydro (51.2 GW), Solar (143.6 GW), Wind (55.1 GW), Nuclear (8.8 GW), and others.

**Transmission Plan Overview:**
The plan details the transmission network for integrating non-fossil capacity, categorized by status and region. The total estimated infrastructure for the period 2026-27 to 2035-36 is:
– **Transmission Lines:** 1,37,500 circuit kilometers (ckm)
– **Substation Capacity:** 8,27,600 MVA
– **Estimated Cost:** Rs. 7,93,300 crores

The 913.7 GW of capacity covered in the plan is broken down as follows:
– **Commissioned/Under Implementation (506.2 GW):** Includes transmission for existing RE, projects under the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) II, and networks for hydro and nuclear projects.
– **Planned/Under Planning (334.5 GW):** Includes ISTS networks for RE evacuation, the proposed GEC-III scheme for intra-state evacuation, margins in existing non-RE substations, and additional nuclear and hydro networks.
– **Under Planning for Non-fossil capacity (73 GW):** Includes future ISTS networks for RE and additional hydro projects.

**Regional Transmission Plans:**

The plan identifies major RE potential zones and details the transmission systems for each region:

1. **Northern Region (NR):**
– **Rajasthan (58.7 GW):** The primary RE hub. Transmission is planned in phases (under implementation, tendering, planned, and under planning). For the long term (by 2035-36), HVDC links are proposed for zones like Ramgarh, Bhadla, and Barmer to evacuate power over long distances.
– **Ladakh (9 GW):** A planned transmission corridor for a large solar and BESS project in Leh.

2. **Western Region (WR):**
– **Gujarat (64.8 GW):** Focus on the Khavda area, with multiple phases under implementation, tendering, and planning. This also includes 5 GW of offshore wind.
– **Maharashtra (9.75 GW):** Transmission under implementation and planned for Solapur and Dhule zones.
– **Madhya Pradesh (19.28 GW):** Network under implementation for Rajgarh, Neemuch, and Mandsaur zones, with planned expansions.

3. **Southern Region (SR):**
– **Andhra Pradesh (53.4 GW):** Under implementation for Anantapur and Kurnool zones, with planned expansion for Krishnagiri, Ananthapuram, and Kadapa.
– **Karnataka (31.24 GW):** Under implementation for Tumkur, Bidar, Koppal, and Gadag zones.
– **Tamil Nadu (8.38 GW):** Under implementation and planned, including 5 GW of offshore wind.
– **Telangana (13 GW):** Planned for Nizamabad, Medak, and other districts.

**Intra-State Transmission:**
The report highlights the role of state networks through:
– **Green Energy Corridor (GEC) II:** Under implementation, integrating ~20 GW of RE.
– **Green Energy Corridor (GEC) III:** A newly proposed scheme to facilitate the intra-state evacuation of an additional **134.7 GW** of solar, wind, and hydro power, along with 25.2 GW of pumped storage projects (PSPs). It will add 51,126 ckm of lines and 2,28,903 MVA of substation capacity.
– **Other Intra-State Capacity:** An additional 33.3 GW of RE capacity is planned for integration in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Karnataka.

**Key Enablers and Integrations:**
– **Non-Solar Hour Margin:** The report identifies **176 GW** of transmission margin available at existing RE pooling stations during non-solar hours. This capacity is ideal for integrating wind and battery energy storage systems (BESS).
– **Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs):** Recognizes the critical role of PSPs (targeting 100 GW by 2034-35) in providing long-duration storage and grid stability.
– **Nuclear & Hydro:** Transmission systems are planned for an additional 7 GW of nuclear and 25.7 GW (12.7 under planning + 13 under implementation) of hydro capacity.
– **New Technology (1150 kV AC):** To handle massive power flows from high-potential RE zones (like Rajasthan) to new industrial demand centers (like Green Hydrogen hubs in Odisha), the plan identifies corridors for a new 1150 kV AC transmission system. This is intended to be developed in phases from 2030-31 onwards, working in conjunction with 800 kV HVDC links.

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