Key Power Sector News Roundup for September 24, 2024

India Finalizes National Electricity Plan for 2032 with Rs 9 Trillion Outlay India’s National Electricity Plan (2023-2032), announced by Union power minister Manohar Lal, targets a Rs 9 trillion investment to meet a 458 GW peak demand by 2032. The plan includes expanding transmission networks to 0.65 million ckm, adding 33.25 GW HVDC systems, and boosting interregional transfer capacity. Renewable energy evacuation and pumped storage projects also receive major focus. Power Minister Launches CSIRT-Power to…

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Power Grid wins Khavda transmission project amid competitive bidding

Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) has secured the letter of intent (LoI) for the project, titled “Provision of Dynamic Reactive Compensation at Khavda Pooling Station 1 (KPS1) and Khavda Pooling Station 3 (KPS3),” in Gujarat through tariff-based competitive bidding, marking its fourth ISTS-TBCB win in September 2024.   The project involves the installation of STATCOMs at KPS1 and KPS3 to manage high voltage fluctuations caused by intermittent renewable energy in the region. The estimated…

Institutional Infrastructure of Energy in India

India’s energy sector is supported by a vast and multi-tiered institutional infrastructure that includes ministries, regulatory bodies, public sector undertakings (PSUs), and research institutions. These entities work together to manage, regulate, and oversee energy production, distribution, and policy implementation. Below is an overview of the key institutions involved in India’s energy landscape. Ministries Ministry of Power (MoP): The Ministry of Power is responsible for developing and managing the country’s power sector. It oversees electricity generation,…

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Record tariff set for Khavda IV-C ISTS project

Sterlite Power has secured the Khavda IV-C interstate transmission system (ISTS) project with an annual tariff of Rs 13.15 billion, the highest ever for an ISTS scheme under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) process. Competing bids from Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) and Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL) were close, with the L2 bid just 0.25% higher than Sterlite’s winning bid. The project, now estimated to cost over Rs 120 billion, includes a…

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Transformation and transmission capacity overview for August 2024

As of August 2024, the total transformation capacity in India reached 12,69,350 MVA. During the financial year 2024-25, up until August, a total of 18,270 MVA had been added to the country’s substations, with 3,650 MVA being added in August alone. The Central Sector contributed 6,330 MVA out of the planned 51,645 MVA during the first five months of FY 2024-25. Power Grid Corporation India Limited (PGCIL) added 6,015 MVA during this period. The progress…

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NCT approves TBCB route for Rs 100 billion interstate transmission projects

The National Committee on Transmission (NCT), in its 22nd meeting on August 23, 2024, recommended the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) route for four interstate transmission system (ISTS) schemes, with a total project outlay exceeding Rs 100 billion. These projects are aimed at strengthening India’s power transmission infrastructure, particularly for renewable energy zones and green hydrogen production areas. The first scheme focuses on the augmentation of transformation capacity at the Bidar pooling station in Karnataka, with…

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ISTS scheme for green hydrogen units in Tuticorin approved

The National Committee on Transmission (NCT) has approved a Rs 26.17 billion interstate transmission system (ISTS) to support upcoming green hydrogen and green ammonia projects in the Tuticorin area of Tamil Nadu. The project, titled “Transmission system for proposed green hydrogen/green ammonia projects in Tuticorin area,” will be implemented under tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) with REC Power Development & Consultancy Ltd (RECPDCL) serving as the bid process coordinator. The project will be completed within 30…

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Adani Energy and Sterlite secure ISTS projects from RECPDCL

REC Power Development & Consultancy Ltd (RECPDCL), the bid process coordinator, has transferred two interstate transmission system (ISTS) project special purpose vehicles (SPVs) to Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL) and Sterlite Power, under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) mechanism. The first project SPV, Khavda IV A Power Transmission Ltd, has been awarded to Adani Energy Solutions Ltd. This project is part of the transmission system for Khavda Phase IV (7 GW) – Part A, located…

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NCT approves six new projects worth Rs 96.7 billion

The National Committee on Transmission (NCT) recently recommended six interstate transmission system (ISTS) schemes with a total project outlay of nearly Rs 96.7 billion, to be implemented under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) mechanism. These schemes aim to enhance India’s power transmission infrastructure across various states. The first scheme focuses on developing a transmission system to supply power to green hydrogen and ammonia manufacturing in the Kandla area of Gujarat, with a planned capacity of…

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Power Grid acquires Bhadla-III Power Transmission project

On August 28, 2024, REC Power Development & Consultancy Ltd (RECPDCL) handed over the project Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) “Bhadla-III Power Transmission Ltd” to Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL). PGCIL won the project through a tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) process for an interstate transmission system (ISTS) scheme named “Additional transmission system for Bhadla-III Pooling Station as part of Rajasthan REZ Phase III (20 GW).” The project, to be developed under the build, own,…