Power Sector News Roundup for December 31, 2025

India

PGCIL awards Rs 3.6 bn 765 kV transformer contract to BHEL

Power Grid Corporation of India Limited has awarded Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited a Rs 3,618 million contract to supply 17 units of 765/400 kV, 500 MVA single phase transformers as part of a bulk procurement package. The contract relates to the 765 kV Transformer Package TTR-15/BULK and was awarded on 23 December 2025. BHEL secured the project as the lowest bidder in a tender that saw participation from three companies and the bulk procurement strategy is aimed at standardisation and cost efficiency. No completion timeline has been mentioned.

SECI invites bids for 1 GW excess renewable supply and 1 GW pumped storage

The Solar Energy Corporation of India has floated two tenders totalling 2,000 MW, seeking 1,000 MW of surplus renewable power and 1,000 MW of pumped storage capacity. The RE tender is under an RfS process for FDRE-VIII power from projects with existing medium term PPAs, allowing both intrastate and interstate connectivity with a minimum 220 kV requirement for interstate projects. Developers need to secure land, approvals and any associated storage or transmission, with EMD at Rs 954,000 per MW and PBG at Rs 2.38 million per MW, and bids are due by 30 January 2026. The pumped storage tender under PSP I seeks 1,000 MW or 8,000 MWh capacity on a build own operate basis with SECI as intermediary, with EMD of Rs 1.11 million per MW, PBG of Rs 2.77 million per MW and a bid deadline of 9 February 2026.

Bondada Engineering wins 300 MW solar project in Uttar Pradesh

Bondada Engineering Limited has received a letter of award worth Rs 3.92 billion from NTPC Green Energy Limited for balance of system work for a 300 MW solar project in Uttar Pradesh. The scope includes engineering, procurement, site development, installation, testing and commissioning along with three years of operations and maintenance. This follows another major order earlier in the month, where the company won BoS EPC work for 810 MW of solar projects worth Rs 9.45 billion from NLC India in Bikaner, Rajasthan. The latest award strengthens its project portfolio in large scale solar development.

POWERGRID wins 300 MWh battery storage project in Andhra Pradesh

Power Grid Corporation of India Limited has received a Letter of Award to develop a 150 MW or 300 MWh standalone battery energy storage project in Andhra Pradesh. The company emerged as the winning bidder under the tariff based competitive bidding programme for part of a larger 2,000 MWh BESS initiative planned at APTRANSCO substations. The project will be located at the 400 or 220 kV Kallikiri substation in Chittoor district and will operate on a Build Own Operate model to support grid stability. The LoA was issued on 29 December 2025, with support through viability gap funding from the Power System Development Fund.

Tata Power commissions 1 GW solar project for SJVN in Rajasthan

Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited has announced the commissioning of a 1 GW alternating current solar project for SJVN Limited in Bikaner, Rajasthan. The plant spans the Bandarwala and Kamisar Bhatiyan sites, has a DC capacity of 1,400 MWp and uses about 2.4 million modules manufactured domestically at TP Solar’s Tirunelveli facility under Domestic Content Requirement norms. Power has been allocated to Rajasthan Urja Vikas and IT Services Limited at 500 MW, Jammu and Kashmir Power Limited at 300 MW and Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited at 200 MW, with expected first year generation of about 2,454.84 million kWh and estimated emission reduction of 1.74 million tonnes of CO2. With this project, Tata Power’s operational clean energy capacity has reached 7.0 GW, equal to 44 per cent of its total installed base of 15.9 GW.

India reaches 50 per cent non-fossil capacity ahead of 2030 goal

India has reached 50 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non fossil sources five years before its 2030 target, with non fossil capacity at 262.74 GW in November 2025 out of a total 509.64 GW. Renewable capacity stands at 253.96 GW, with 44.51 GW added in 2025, nearly double the additions in 2024, driven mainly by 34.98 GW of solar and 5.82 GW of wind. Government programmes such as PM Surya Ghar and PM KUSUM recorded strong progress, while green hydrogen incentives, higher domestic manufacturing and new policies like ALMM expansion and REEIMS supported the sector. Research and institutional initiatives also advanced, including high efficiency cell development and a national calibration facility.

KSEBL approves Rs 648 crore capex plan

Kerala State Electricity Board Limited has cleared a Rs 647.8 crore capital expenditure plan for 2026 to 27 focused on strengthening transmission, distribution, storage and EV infrastructure. The plan includes Rs 117.5 crore for transmission, Rs 166.9 crore for distribution, Rs 598.75 crore for TransGrid 2.0, Rs 463.83 crore for system strengthening and Rs 127 crore under the Dyuthi scheme, along with Rs 100 crore for smart meters and Rs 52 crore for EV charging. Funds have also been earmarked for BESS, pumped storage DPRs and Rs 84.9 crore for generation, with a revised outlay of Rs 478.975 crore approved for 2025 to 26. These investments align with new RPO and ESO regulations that set a 46 per cent RPO and 1.50 per cent storage obligation for 2026 to 27.

Bihar commissions 132 kV line for Kajra solar and battery storage project

A dedicated 132 kV evacuation line has been commissioned to connect the Kajra solar and battery storage project in Bihar to the grid. The line links the Lakhisarai facility to the Haveli Kharagpur and Lakhisarai substations and includes a 100 MVA 33 or 132 kV transformer under BSPGCL and BSPTCL supervision. The Kajra project will be developed in two phases, with Phase 1 including 185 MW solar and 254 MWh storage and Phase 2 adding 116 MW solar and 241 MWh storage by January 2027, bringing total capacity to 301 MW with 495 MWh BESS. The system is expected to support uninterrupted daytime supply and provide 4 to 5 hours of evening backup, improving reliability.