Bikaner-V transmission plan faces uncertainty amid developer pushback
Author: PPD Team Date: April 29, 2026
The proposed 6 GW Bikaner-V transmission scheme, intended to evacuate renewable energy from Rajasthan, faces uncertainty after developers rejected a proposal to shift connectivity to existing substations with access limited to non-solar hours.
The issue was recorded in the minutes of the 40th meeting of the National Committee on Transmission (NCT) held on April 15, 2026. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) had suggested accommodating developers with in-principle connectivity under the Bikaner-V scheme at available margins in Bikaner-I to Bikaner-IV pooling stations. This approach was expected to enable connectivity by December 2026 or April 2027, without constructing a new transmission corridor.
However, at a meeting held on March 25, 2026, no developer agreed to the proposal. CEA informed the NCT that there was no consensus among developers to shift connectivity from Bikaner-V to the existing pooling stations.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) opposed the proposal, stating that evolving project structures such as Round-the-Clock (RTC), Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE), and hybrid configurations require continuous evacuation capability. MNRE also noted that developers have already committed significant investments, including the acquisition of about 15,000 acres of land, based on the original connectivity approvals.
Adding to the complexity, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) recently allowed a developer, M/s SUCRL, to withdraw its connectivity application from Bikaner-V, with similar provisions extended to other affected developers.
Expert Member Shri S.R. Narasimhan suggested exploring a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) as a non-wires alternative, citing faster implementation compared to conventional transmission infrastructure.
The NCT decided that CEA will hold further consultations with developers. The scheme will be divided into separate components covering renewable energy evacuation and grid strengthening, to be reviewed in the next meeting.
The featured photograph is for representation only.
