CERC issues December orders on Inter-State transmission licences

In a series of orders issued in December 2025, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) adjudicated on multiple applications for Inter-State transmission licences, moving several projects forward for public consultation while rejecting one and imposing significant conditions on others.  

The Commission granted a final transmission licence under the Regulated Tariff Mechanism mode to POWERGRID Barmer I Transmission Limited (PBITL) in its order dated 18 December 2025 (Petition No. 789/TL/2025). The licence covers the project Implementation of 1 no. of 220 kV line bay for interconnection of M/s Anboto Solar Private Limited (250 MW + 50 MW) RE power projects at 765/400/220 kV Barmer-I PS, assigned to PBITL by Central Transmission Utility of India Ltd. (CTUIL) with an estimated cost of Rs. 6.18 crore. With no objections following public notice, CERC directed the grant of a separate RTM transmission licence subject to standard conditions, including 25-year validity and mandatory open access.

At the interim stage, the Commission directed publication of public notices for several projects, indicating prima facie satisfaction with eligibility. For Davanagere Power Transmission Limited (DPTL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), the order dated 25 December 2025 (Petition No. 857/TL/2025) directed notice for the project Transmission System Strengthening at Davanagere for Integration of RE Generation in Karnataka, with objections due by 6 January 2026 and hearing on 8 January 2026. For Rajgarh Neemuch Power Transmission Limited (RNPTL), selected through bidding by G R Infraprojects Limited, the order dated 26 December 2025 (Petition No. 860/TL/2025) directed notice for the project Transmission System for Evacuation of Power from RE Projects in Rajgarh (1,500 MW) SEZ Phase III and Neemuch (1,000 MW) SEZ Phase II in Madhya Pradesh, with objections due by 9 January 2026 and hearing on 13 January 2026. For Mandsaur I RE Transmission Limited (MIRTL), the order dated 15 December 2025 (Petition No. 869/TL/2025) directed notice for the project Augmentation of transformation capacity and implementation of line bays at Mandsaur substation for RE interconnection, with objections due by 31 December 2025 and hearing on 6 January 2026.

More conditional interim orders were issued for two projects focused on cost allocation. For TP Paradeep Transmission Limited and the project Transmission system for evacuation of power from Eastern Region Expansion Scheme-XXXIV (ERES-XXXIV) in Odisha, the order dated 18 December 2025 (Petition No. 73/TL/2025) proposed a licence grant with strict financial conditions. This scheme serves bulk consumers, including Green Hydrogen and Ammonia plants, with General Network Access. CERC directed that the cost of Interconnecting Transformers and associated bays at the Paradeep substation be borne by the concerned entities and ordered proportional cost deposits within 30 days of intimation, failing which GNA would be cancelled. Objections are due by 9 January 2026.

A similar conditional approach was applied to POWERGRID Kudankulam Transmission Limited (PKTL) in the order dated 7 December 2025 (Petition No. 245/TL/2025) for the project Transmission System under ISTS for evacuation of power from Kudankulam Unit 3 and 4 (2×1000 MW). The Commission noted that the 400 kV line from Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) to Tuticorin-II GIS should arguably have been a Dedicated Transmission Line at generator cost. While agreeing to consider the licence grant given the completed bidding process, CERC directed that transmission charges be recovered from the generating station or its beneficiaries. Objections were due by 22 December 2025.

In a clear rejection, the Commission declined a licence for the Gopalpur scheme in its order dated 18 December 2025 (Petition No. 513/TL/2024). The application by TP Gopalpur Transmission Limited for the project Eastern Region Expansion Scheme-XXXIX in Odisha, intended for Green Hydrogen and Ammonia evacuation, failed after one bulk consumer withdrew, and the remaining entity, Avaada GreenH2 Private Limited, indicated plans to rely only on the intra-state system. CERC found a risk of redundant assets and referred the matter back to the National Committee on Transmission (NCT) for reassessment.

The featured photograph is for representation only.