Power Play: India Crosses 500,000 ckm in Major Grid Expansion

India’s national power transmission network crossed a major milestone on January 14, surpassing 5,00,000 circuit kilometres (ckm) and achieving a transformation capacity of 1,407 GVA.

The milestone was marked by the commissioning of a 628-km-long 765 kV transmission line connecting the Bhadla II and Sikar II substations in Rajasthan’s Renewable Energy Zone. The new line enhances power evacuation capacity by 1,100 MW, enabling smoother integration of renewable energy from the Fatehgarh solar power complexes into the national grid.

Since April 2014, India’s transmission network has expanded by 71.6 per cent, with the addition of over 2,000 km of transmission lines at 220 kV and above, significantly strengthening the grid’s ability to meet rising electricity demand.

Inter-regional power transfer capacity has now reached 120,340 MW, advancing the government’s “One Nation–One Grid–One Frequency” vision. The expanded transmission infrastructure is expected to play a critical role in supporting India’s target of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel power generation capacity by 2030, while ensuring grid stability.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.