Renewable-rich regions must be connected to the interstate transmission system (ISTS) to enable the transfer of power from generation areas to major demand centres. Since solar and wind projects are developed faster than transmission infrastructure, transmission planning needs to be carried out well in advance. To ensure efficient integration, transmission infrastructure and grid support systems must expand in line with new generation capacity. Misaligned or highly concentrated additions could lead to transmission congestion and renewable energy curtailment, making coordinated planning essential for reliable grid operations.
India aims to set up 500 GW of non-fossil electricity generation capacity by 2030. To support this goal, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) released the transmission plan “Transmission System for Integration of over 500 GW RE Capacity by 2030” in December 2022, outlining infrastructure needs for around 537 GW of renewable capacity.
Recently, in March 2026, the CEA released another report, “Transmission Plan for Integration of over 900 GW Non-Fossil Fuel Capacity by 2035-36”. Renewable Watch presents the key takeaways from the report…
Current status of non-fossil fuel installed capacity
As of February 28, 2026, the installed capacity from non-fossil energy sources stands at 275 GW, accounting for roughly 52.5 per cent of the country’s total installed capacity of 524 GW. This includes 51.2 GW from large hydro, 55.1 GW from wind energy and 143.6 GW from solar power, including around 24.8 GW of rooftop solar installations. In addition, small hydro contributes about 5.2 GW, biopower around 11.6 GW and nuclear power 8.8 GW to the non-fossil energy mix. Rooftop solar capacity has expanded significantly over the past two years, increasing from 11.87 GW as of March 31, 2024 to approximately 24.87 GW by February 28, 2026, an addition of nearly 13 GW.
Projected power demand and capacity requirements by 2035-36
Peak electricity demand in India is projected to reach about 459 GW, with total energy requirements of around 3,365 MUs by 2035-36. To meet this demand sustainably, the country’s installed power capacity is expected to increase to about 1,121 GW, of which around 786 GW will come from non-fossil sources. Renewable energy will account for a major share of this growth at about 664 GW by 2035-36, with 509 GW of solar and 155 GW of wind capacity. Achieving this target will require annual renewable capacity additions of around 40-45 GW.
Transmission network for integrating non-fossil capacity by 2035-36
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), in coordination with state governments, has assessed renewable energy potential across key resource-rich states to support transmission planning under the ISTS. In the northern region, Rajasthan has the highest potential with 259.8 GW of solar and wind capacity. In the western region, the estimated potential includes 136.1 GW in Gujarat, 21 GW in Maharashtra and 49.5 GW in Madhya Pradesh. In the southern region, the potential is estimated at 88 GW in Andhra Pradesh, 32.7 GW in Karnataka, 8 GW in Tamil Nadu and 13 GW in Telangana. Together, these regions account for a total renewable energy potential of about 608.1 GW. In addition, transmission infrastructure has been planned to evacuate renewable power from Ladakh (9 GW) and Assam (1 GW).
Status of transmission infrastructure supporting non-fossil power generation
As of February 28, 2026, transmission infrastructure supporting 275.5 GW of non-fossil capacity, including 266.7 GW of renewable energy and 8.8 GW of nuclear power, has been commissioned. Additional transmission systems are under implementation to support 506.2 GW of capacity, including 192 GW under ISTS for solar and wind evacuation, 19.4 GW under the Green Energy Corridor Phase II (GEC-II), 12.7 GW for hydro and 6.6 GW for nuclear power.
Further transmission projects have been planned to integrate around 334.5 GW of non-fossil capacity, including 76.5 GW of solar and wind under the ISTS, 134.7 GW under the proposed GEC-III, 33.6 GW through additional intra-state networks and 31.5 GW through available margins at existing non-renewable energy ISTS substations. The projects will also support 7 GW of nuclear, 5.2 GW of small-hydro and biomass, and 46 GW of rooftop solar capacity. Currently, about 176 GW of transmission margin is available during non-solar hours, with connectivity applications already received for around 105 GW.
Additionally, 73 GW of transmission capacity is under planning, including 60 GW for renewable energy and 13 GW for hydro, taking the overall planned transmission capacity for non-fossil generation to about 913.7 GW. Transmission schemes for 19 GW of renewable energy capacity: 9 GW in Ladakh and 5 GW each of offshore wind in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are currently on hold due to high project costs.
Overall, the transmission infrastructure planned under the ISTS and intra-state networks between 2026-27 and 2035-36 includes about 137,500 circuit (ckt) km of transmission lines and 827,600 MVA of substation capacity, with an estimated investment of Rs 7,933 billion.
According to CEA resource adequacy studies, integrating higher levels of renewable energy beyond 2030 will require long-duration energy storage of around six hours. Pumped storage projects (PSPs) are considered a cost-effective solution for meeting future storage needs while enhancing grid reliability through frequency regulation and voltage support. The CEA has also released a road map targeting 100 GW of PSP capacity by 2034-35.
State-wise ISTS network under implementation and planning
Under the GEC Phase II scheme, around 19.4 GW of renewable energy capacity is planned to be integrated into intra-state transmission networks across several states. The scheme includes the development of approximately 7,919 ckt km of transmission lines and 24,488 MVA of transformation capacity. Key capacity additions include 4 GW each in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, 4.02 GW in Rajasthan, 2.64 GW in Karnataka, 452 MW in Kerala and 317 MW in Himachal Pradesh, along with associated transmission infrastructure required to support renewable energy integration.
The proposed GEC-III aims to facilitate the evacuation of 134.7 GW of solar, wind and hydropower, along with 25.2 GW of pumped storage capacity, from renewable-rich states. The scheme will strengthen the grid by adding 51,126 ckt km of transmission lines and 228,903 MVA of substation capacity. It will also support the development of 44.8 GWh of battery energy storage systems to improve renewable energy integration and ensure reliable power supply. In addition, about 33.3 GW of solar and wind capacity is planned to be integrated into intra-state networks in Rajasthan (10 GW), Gujarat (15 GW) and Karnataka (8.3 GW).
As of February 28, 2026, India’s installed hydropower capacity stands at 51,165 MW, with transmission systems planned for 12.7 GW of hydro capacity and another 13 GW currently under planning.
India’s growing renewable capacity will require a robust and well-planned transmission network to ensure reliable power delivery. Expanding grid infrastructure alongside storage solutions will be key to integrating large volumes of renewable energy. Coordinated planning and investment will also play a critical role in achieving the country’s long-term clean energy targets.
