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CEA releases new AWS rules to improve weather data in renewable projects

India, News

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has issued revised guidelines for Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) in solar and wind power plants. The rules will improve the accuracy of real-time weather data, strengthen grid reliability, and support regulatory compliance for renewable energy developers. AWS units are to be installed within the boundaries of the project site. For solar plants, the AWS location should reflect the terrain and panel tilt. For wind projects, it should capture the actual…

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CEA and IIT Roorkee sign MoU for joint work on power sector research

India, News

On July 1, 2025, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and IIT Roorkee signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together on capacity building, research, and data sharing in the power sector. The MoU focuses on key areas: – Training CEA staff through IIT Roorkee’s online courses and short-term projects – Joint studies on decarbonization, energy efficiency, and just transition – Research on emerging technologies like green hydrogen, e-mobility, and battery recycling The MoU also…

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CEA launches electrical safety handbook

India, News

On 26 June 2025, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), under the Ministry of Power, observed Electrical Safety Day in New Delhi with a clear message: safety must go hand in hand with innovation. The theme, Smart Energy, Safe Nation, underlined the growing need to embed safety in every layer of India’s energy transition. The key highlight was the launch of the first-ever Electrical Safety Handbook. Jointly developed by CEA and BSES, the handbook serves as…

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CEA proposes safety norms for battery energy storage systems in 2025 draft

India, News

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has released the Draft First Amendment to the Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2025.  The amendment introduces new safety requirements for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). These draft regulations are open for public comments until 20 July 2025.   A new chapter, X-A, has been added to the existing regulations. It outlines the safety framework for BESS, covering equipment design, installation, monitoring, and emergency measures….

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CEA seeks public input to localize 29 critical imported power components

India, News

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has identified 29 high-priority power sector components currently imported from countries such as China, Germany, and South Korea. The CEA is now inviting public feedback to develop a roadmap for domestic manufacturing of these items. This move is part of efforts to reduce India’s dependency on foreign suppliers and build local capacity in core energy infrastructure technologies. What is being imported and why The list includes complex components like Gas…

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CEA workshop outlines roadmap for scaling energy storage with renewables

India, News

At a recent national workshop, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) convened over 300 stakeholders to discuss how Energy Storage Systems (ESS) can support India’s renewable energy (RE) goals. The first phase of this regional workshop series focused on key policy, project, and technology insights. Key takeaways: Tariff trends show storage is becoming cost-effective SECI shared that Solar+BESS tariffs have dropped to Rs 3.09/unit (from Rs 6.99 in 2018). Standalone BESS tariffs have declined to Rs…

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Arunachal forms JV with NEEPCO for 2.6 GW hydro projects, CEA invites EOIs

India, News

The Cabinet of Arunachal Pradesh has approved the formation of NEEPCO Arunachal Hydro Power Corporation, a joint venture between the Government of Arunachal Pradesh (GoAP) and North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO). The JV will implement five hydro electric projects (HEPs) with a combined capacity of 2,626 MW in the state. The approved projects are: 1,000 MW Naying Hydro Electric Project 700 MW Tato-II Hydro Electric Project 500 MW Hirong Hydro Electric Power Project…

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CEA clears Upper Indravati pumped storage project in Odisha

India, News

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has granted final approval for the Upper Indravati Pumped Storage Project in Odisha. The 600 MW (4×150 MW) project will be developed by Odisha Hydro Power Corporation Limited (OHPC) at Mukhiguda village in Kalahandi district. The project involves an estimated investment of Rs 31.6 billion and aims to strengthen grid stability and provide peak power support through energy storage. OHPC is also preparing detailed project reports (DPRs) for two additional…

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CEA releases draft rules revising RoW norms for transmission lines

India, News

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has issued the draft amendment to the CEA (Technical Standards for Construction of Electrical Plants and Electric Lines) Regulations, 2025. The amendment updates right of way (RoW) norms for transmission lines from 66 kV to 1200 kV and HVDC (high voltage direct current) lines up to ±800 kV. The revised norms provide separate RoW widths for different terrains—normal, forest, urban/populated areas, and substation approaches. These are specified for both lattice…

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CEA clears 7.5 GW of hydro pumped storage DPRs in 2024–25

India, News

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has approved Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for six hydro pumped storage projects (PSPs) totaling about 7.5 GW. These approvals were issued in record time during 2024–25, reflecting a focused effort to expand long-term energy storage infrastructure. The cleared projects include: Upper Indravati (600 MW) in Odisha  Sharavathy (2,000 MW) in Karnataka Bhivpuri (1,000 MW) in Maharashtra Bhavali (1,500 MW) in Maharashtra MP-30 (1,920 MW) in Madhya Pradesh Chitravathi (500 MW)…