PM lays foundation stone for PGCIL’s 4.5 GW Kurnool-IV REZ transmission project
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone for Power Grid Corporation of India Limited’s (PGCIL) Transmission System for Integration of Kurnool-IV Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) – Phase-I, a project designed to evacuate 4.5 GW of renewable energy from Andhra Pradesh.
The Prime Minister also dedicated two PGCIL transmission projects with a combined renewable energy evacuation capacity of about 8 GW. Together, the projects aim to strengthen the National Grid, facilitate the evacuation of renewable energy from the Kurnool and Anantapur REZs, and support India’s target of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.
Project details
The Kurnool-IV REZ Phase-I transmission project will be implemented through Kurnool-IV Transmission Limited, the special purpose vehicle (SPV) acquired by PGCIL under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) route in 2025.
The project has a scheduled completion timeline of 24 months.
Its scope includes the establishment of a new 765/400/220 kV pooling station in Andhra Pradesh and the construction of 765 kV and 400 kV transmission lines across Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
The key infrastructure will be the Kurnool-IV Pooling Station, comprising 4×1500 MVA, 765/400 kV transformers and 4×500 MVA, 400/220 kV transformers. The project also includes the augmentation of the existing 765/400 kV Chilakaluripet substation.
The Kurnool-IV Pooling Station will be connected to Kurnool-III Pooling Station, Bidar and Chilakaluripet through around 1,000 ckm of transmission lines.
Renewable integration
The project forms part of Andhra Pradesh’s broader transmission plan to integrate 51 GW of renewable energy into the national grid.
Of this planned capacity, 23 GW has been identified in the Kurnool region, comprising 15 GW of solar capacity and 8 GW of wind capacity. The Kurnool-IV REZ Phase-I transmission system is intended to facilitate evacuation of a part of this renewable generation.
Photo credit: PGCIL
