The government envisages an investment of Rs 9.15 lakh crore for the Central and state transmission systems by 2032, as part of the revised National Electricity Plan (NEP). This was stated by Union Minister for Power Manohar Lal Khattar, who noted that the new plan would help in meeting the increasing electricity demand and facilitate renewable energy integration into the grid.

The NEP (2023-2032), to be released in the next 15 days, would aim at meeting peak demand of 458 GW by 2032, against over 240 GW witnessed in 2023. Under the new plan, the government plans to expand the country’s transmission network to 6.48 lakh circuit kilometer (ckm) in 2032 from 4.85 lakh ckm in 2024. During the same period the transformation capacity is envisaged to increase to 2,342 GVA from 1,251 GVA.

The government has also approved 50 GW inter-state transmission system (ISTS) capacity and the transmission network of 335 GW is planned to evacuate 280 GW of variable renewable energy (VRE) to the ISTS by 2030, the Minister said. Out of this, 42 GW has already been completed, 85 GW is under construction, 75 GW is under bidding, and the remaining will be approved in due course.

The government, in the first 100 days, also approved transmission schemes corresponding to 50.9 GW capacity, entailing a cost of Rs. 60,676 crore. The approved transmission system includes the evacuation of renewable electricity, including offshore wind power in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. This would support the power requirements for planned green hydrogen and green ammonia projects in these states, as well as pumped storage potential near Maharashtra.

Additionally, the approved system will facilitate the evacuation of hydro power from Jammu & Kashmir and thermal power from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Over the last 100 days, the ministry has awarded 12.8 GW of new coal based thermal capacity, it was informed.