As India races towards its 500 GW non-fossil power capacity target by 2030, the national transmission grid is preparing for its next major expansion, with around 40,000 circuit kilometres (ckm) and 399 GVA of transformation capacity of inter-state transmission lines currently under implementation, primarily to evacuate renewable energy from solar- and wind-rich states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, officials said.
The inter-state build-out, planned at 220 kV and above, is aimed at preventing congestion and curtailment as renewable capacity scales up rapidly across western and southern India.
“Most of the new transmission corridors are being planned around renewable energy zones and long-distance evacuation from western and southern states to major demand centres,” an official familiar with the planning process said on the condition of anonymity.
In parallel, 27,500 ckm of intra-state transmission lines and 134 GVA of transformation capacity are also under implementation across states, as part of a broader effort to strengthen last-mile connectivity, improve grid reliability and support rising renewable penetration at the state level.
Officials said the inter-state expansion is being driven primarily by renewable energy evacuation requirements, particularly from high-capacity solar and wind zones in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
These corridors are designed to move power over long distances to major demand centres, reducing congestion and curtailment risks as renewable generation rises.
India has already crossed 254 GW of installed renewable capacity, more than halfway to its 2030 target, but transmission readiness is increasingly emerging as a critical constraint.
“Renewable energy capacity gets built very quickly, typically within 18 months to two years.
This compresses the planning horizon and makes the generation–transmission mismatch much sharper than in the past, when conventional projects had much longer gestation periods,” said Vibhuti Garg, Director – South Asia, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).
“The objective is to reduce congestion, lower curtailment risks and enable long-distance power transfers.”
Grid crosses 5 lakh ckm milestone
India’s national power transmission network crossed 5 lakh circuit kilometres of transmission lines (220 kV and above) on January 14, 2026, following the commissioning of a 628 ckm, 765 kV transmission line between Bhadla II and Sikar II substations in Rajasthan.
The newly commissioned corridor enables evacuation of an additional 1,100 MW of renewable energy from the Bhadla, Ramgarh and Fatehgarh solar power complexes, among the country’s largest renewable energy zones.
With this addition, India’s transmission network now comprises over 5,00,000 ckm of transmission lines and 1,407 GVA of transformation capacity at 220 kV and above, cementing its position as the world’s largest synchronous power grid.
Since April 2014, the grid has expanded rapidly. Over the past decade, 2.09 lakh ckm of transmission lines have been added, marking a 71.6 per cent increase, while transformation capacity has risen by 876 GVA.
Inter-regional power transfer capacity has also increased to 1,20,340 MW, enabling large-scale power flows across regions and supporting the vision of “One Nation–One Grid–One Frequency.”
Cost of the grid expansion
While official cost estimates for the ongoing transmission build-out were not disclosed, industry experts said the scale of investment involved would be substantial.
An industry expert said that inter-state transmission lines at 220 kV and above typically cost between ₹4 crore and ₹7 crore per ckm, depending on voltage level, terrain, right-of-way challenges and whether the corridor involves high-capacity lines such as 765 kV.
“At those benchmarks, the 40,000 ckm inter-state build-out alone could imply capital expenditure running into several lakh crore rupees over the next few years,” the expert said, noting that higher-capacity corridors account for the upper end of the cost range.
Curtailment and utilisation risks
The urgency of expanding transmission capacity is being reinforced by rising curtailment levels across the grid. Solar curtailment nationally has already reached around 12 per cent, with peak-period backdowns of up to 40 per cent on certain days, according to Rahul Raizada, Partner – Climate and Energy, PwC India.
“While transmission investments raise system costs in the short term, they are essential to unlock low-cost renewable power and avoid wasting generation,” Raizada said. He noted that the current build-out is distinct because it is renewable-first, aligned with renewable energy zones, hybrid projects and long-distance green corridors.
Beyond wires and substations
Experts caution that physical expansion of transmission infrastructure alone will not be sufficient to manage rising renewable penetration.
Akshay Hiranandani, Chief Executive Officer of Serentica, said large-scale renewable integration requires a grid designed for higher variability and long-distance transfers. “Transmission expansion must be complemented by better system operations, storage, grid-forming technologies and flexible power flows,” he said. “Without that, congestion risks will persist even with new lines.”
With several transmission schemes under construction, multiple projects under bidding and others in the pipeline, India’s transmission roadmap provides investors visibility into investment opportunities of over ₹9.15 lakh crore in the transmission sector till 2032.
For policymakers, utilities and investors, the next phase of India’s clean energy transition will hinge not just on how fast renewable capacity is added, but on how quickly and efficiently the grid is strengthened to carry that power across the country.