India to invest ₹13 trillion in transmission infra, ₹1.3 trillion in smart meters by 2035: Report
The report projects that solar and wind will drive India's energy transition with a combined investment of ₹34.5 trillion. Solar power alone is estimated to attract ₹23 trillion to expand capacity to 564 GW, while wind energy will need ₹11.5 trillion to reach 280 GW.
Transmission and distribution infrastructure will also need heavy investments to support the grid's expansion. Transmission networks are projected to require ₹13 trillion in capital expenditure to support an additional 2.3 lakh circuit kilometres. Additionally, ₹1.3 trillion will be needed for the installation of 30 crore smart meters across the country by 2035.
Renewables to account for 70per cent of capacity
By 2035, renewable sources including solar and wind are expected to comprise 70per cent of India's installed power generation capacity, contributing 47per cent of total electricity generation. Solar capacity is projected to grow 5x from 2025 levels, while wind capacity is expected to grow 5.5x.
According to the report, India will need to add approximately 889 GW of new power capacity from 2025 to 2035. This includes 458 GW of solar, 231 GW of wind, 108 GW of coal, 51 GW of large hydro, and 30 GW of nuclear.
Coal's declining share, but dominant in generation
While coal's share in installed capacity is projected to fall to 24per cent by 2035, it is still expected to account for 46per cent of electricity generation, producing 1,937 billion units out of the projected 4,250 billion units. This reflects its continuing role in base-load power supply.
In contrast, solar is expected to generate 988 billion units and wind 615 billion units, contributing a combined 38per cent of total generation. Large hydro and nuclear are estimated to generate 341 and 263 billion units, respectively.
Digital backbone and storage to support the grid
The report highlights the role of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in improving plant load factors (PLFs) for renewables. By 2035, PLFs for solar and wind are expected to improve to 20per cent and 25per cent, respectively, from historical averages of 15per cent and 18per cent.
The Ministry of Power has initiated the development of an India Energy Stack (IES), which aims to create a unified, secure digital public infrastructure for energy services. A 12-month proof-of-concept phase is expected to be launched in Mumbai and Delhi, followed by a national rollout.
Smart metering to reduce AT&C losses
Under the
Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS)
, the government plans to install 30 crore smart meters by 2035, with an estimated capex of ₹1.3 trillion. This initiative is aimed at reducing aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses to 12–15per cent across India.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
KSEB's battery energy storage system project at Mylatti gets regulatory commission's nod
A Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) proposal to establish its first battery energy storage system (BESS) at Mylatti in Kasaragod district has received the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission's nod. In an order on Friday (August 1, 2025), the commission ratified the KSEB's decision to launch the bidding process for the project, which is being set up at the KSEB sub-station at Mylatti with a viability gap funding of ₹135 crore from the Union Power Ministry. The BESS project has a capacity of 125 megawatts (MW)/500 Megawatt Hour (MWh) where MW denotes the maximum amount of power that it can deliver at a given moment, and MWh, the total amount of energy that the system can store. The commission has also approved the tariff of ₹4.41 lakh per MW per month quoted by JSW Neo Energy Ltd and the trading margin of 7 paise per unit payable by KSEB to the Solar Energy Corporation of India, which the KSEB has engaged as the BESS implementing agency. The BESS at Mylatti is one of several planned by the KSEB as part of enhancing storage capacity for handling the surplus solar power generated during the daytime. BESS projects are also planned at the substations at Sreekantapuram in Alappuzha district, Pothencode in Thiruvananthapuram, Mulleria in Kasaragod and Areacode in Malappuram.
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Power distribution network in Chennai, nearby districts set for an upgrade
The Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation (TNPDCL) is planning a major upgrade to the electricity transmission network by commissioning new substations and improving several existing ones in Chennai and its neighbouring districts to prevent power cuts and voltage fluctuations during the summer months. The TNPDCL, which is the restructured entity of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco), will set up 12 33/11 kilovolt (kV) substations to ramp up the distribution network in areas with increased power demand. While the Electricity Department has adequate electricity generation capacity, certain parts of the city and Tiruvallur district, faced unscheduled power cuts during the peak summer months this year. Consumer activist T. Sadagopan said the delay in the upgrading and renovation of the 110-kV substation in Avadi, which is one of oldest substations, has resulted in several western suburbs such as Avadi, Pattabhiram, and Paruthipet facing power disruptions. While welcoming the announcement to construct three new 33/11 kV substations, he wanted one to be constructed at the newly inaugurated TIDEL Park. K.S. Gopalakrishnan of Avadi said the substation in Pattabhiram caught fire due to power overload last year, leading to outages that lasted for over two days. He wanted officials to construct new substations within the proposed deadline. A senior official said the decision to set up substations was taken after taking into consideration the increasing power demand in several areas of north and west Chennai. These substations, to come up at a cost of ₹186.96 crore, will be commissioned in Broadway, M.K.B. Nagar, Pudupet, Mylapore, Mannurpet, Surapet, Avadi, and Sholavaram, among others. Similarly, in Kancheepuram, which includes Sriperumbudur and nearby industrial zones, 20 new substations have been proposed at a cost of ₹325 crore. These are part of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme for 33/11 kV infrastructure improvement works, being undertaken at a cost of over ₹1,800 crore, and for which the REC has sanctioned a loan amount of ₹1,632 crore. A total of 133 new substations is planned to be built across the State. Meanwhile, J. Radhakrishnan, TNPDCL Chairman and Managing Director, chaired a meeting with senior officials on fast-tracking the turnkey substation projects. In addition to the new substations, the Electricity Department will upgrade the capacity of 33/11 kV substations at 11 places in the city at ₹39 crore, and at nine places in Kancheepuram district at a cost of ₹73 crore. The works will begin soon, the official said.
Business Standard
a day ago
- Business Standard
Kimbal Hosts SASEC Delegation, Showcases India's Smart Metering Leadership
India PR Distribution New Delhi [India], July 31: As the world's fourth-largest economy, having recently surpassed Japan, India is rapidly strengthening the backbone of its infrastructure to fuel its soaring economic growth. At the heart of this transformation lies the push for reliable, clean, and intelligent energy. Smart metering has emerged as a foundational enabler in modernizing the country's power distribution landscape. With the Government of India targeting 250+ million smart meter installations under RDSS and encouraging discom digitalization, the energy transition is no longer just about generation; it's about intelligent, responsive grids at the last mile. Kimbal Private Limited recognized this shift early. In 2011, it set out to solve one of the most complex challenges of the energy value chain: distribution-side modernization. Over the past decade, the company has built its leadership in smart metering by delivering integrated, scalable solutions tailored to India's diverse utility needs. Today, it stands as a trusted partner to leading discoms in India's north, northeast, east, west, and central regions, while scaling up further to cater to massive opportunities soon to emerge in the leading utilities of Southern India. As part of its continued commitment to regional collaboration, Kimbal hosted a high-level delegation from the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program last week. The delegation, accompanied by representatives from India's Ministry of Power, the Asian Development Bank, and the Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers' Association, toured Kimbal's Mega Manufacturing Plant -- a 250,000 sq. ft., automation-enabled facility capable of producing 12 million meters annually. "Kimbal's journey is deeply aligned with India's energy goals. We are proud to have contributed to how power distribution is evolving in our country," said Gurpreet Oberoi, Kimbal's Chief Business Officer. "And we're excited to partner with our South Asian neighbors as they progress on similar journeys." Kimbal's product portfolio reflects its system-level approach to grid modernization. From next-generation smart meters (single phase, three phase, LTCT, HTCT) to its RF Mesh Communication Infrastructure (Vayu), Network Interface Cards, and Enterprise Head-End System (Vaani), the company offers end-to-end Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) solutions. Their AI-powered solution, Samaksha, has been game-changing for many Indian utilities struggling with billing collection from static meter users--a successful tool that SASEC nations may like to adopt. Upcoming innovations include Energy Management Solution, a tool for commercial and industrial users to optimize power procurement by matching demand with the lowest-cost supply in real-time, along with low-cost RTU and Energy Monitoring Tool. NILM is another of their upcoming offerings: it is an energy tracker that breaks down household consumption by appliance, making power usage easy to understand and budget. These technologically advanced solutions showcase Kimbal's strong focus on analytics and energy automation. This innovation-led roadmap has translated into strong growth. In FY25, Kimbal's revenue grew nearly 4X -- a testament to the company's ability to scale with purpose and precision. India is now preparing for the next wave of grid intelligence under AMI 2.0, which aims to go beyond billing and empower utilities with real-time data, predictive analytics, and advanced grid control. Kimbal has consistently been ahead of the curve -- not only anticipating these shifts but building for them. With a legacy of spotting opportunity early, the company is expanding from smart meters, Enterprise HES to in-house developed RF-mesh communication technology, and a future-ready portfolio of energy tech solutions.
