Latest news with #GreenEnergyCorridor
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Gujarat to fortify green energy grid with Rs 29k cr investment
Ahmedabad: With renewable energy now accounting for 58% of Gujarat's installed power capacity — well above the national average of 47% — the state govt is pushing ahead with a major expansion of its transmission and distribution infrastructure. As part of its long-term strategy to support this green shift, Gujarat will invest Rs 29,000 crore to develop the third Green Energy Corridor (GEC-III), aimed at transmitting 16,500MW of renewable power from across the state. The transmission upgrade is designed to keep pace with both rising capacity and the evolving mix, which is increasingly dominated by solar and wind. The GEC-III will enable connectivity between new renewable energy zones in Kutch, Jamnagar-Bet Dwarka, Banaskantha-Patan, and parts of central Gujarat, according to sources. It will involve building 3,430 circuit kilometres of lines through six 765kV substations and an additional 860 circuit kilometres through four 400kV substations. Four statcoms will be installed to maintain power quality across the network. Officials said the GEC projects are central to Gujarat's goal of developing a "foolproof" grid that ensures the smooth integration of intermittent renewable sources into the state's energy backbone. The corridors are designed to feed clean energy into industrial belts and urban load centres while supporting the broader ambition of energy security and grid stability. The Rs 29,000 crore investment comes alongside two earlier corridor projects: GEC-I, a Rs 1,932 crore project targeting 4,000MW, and GEC-II, worth Rs 3,636 crore, which is slated for completion by March 2027. The state's push is backed by a broader plan to modernise the grid through capital-intensive upgrades and adoption of advanced technologies. Parallel to transmission development, Gujarat is strengthening its distribution network under the revamped distribution sector scheme (RDSS), with initiatives such as underground cabling, loss reduction and digital transformation to ensure reliable, affordable and high-quality power across sectors. Gujarat already leads the country in rooftop solar adoption, with 5.3GW installed across over 9.6 lakh households. It also ranks first in wind power and second in solar energy. The state's resource adequacy plan targets 42GW of renewable capacity by 2035, supported by favourable policy frameworks and private sector interest. With the green energy corridors forming the arteries of this transition, Gujarat's energy roadmap reflects a focused attempt to combine sustainability, investment, and innovation in pursuit of a resilient power ecosystem.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Work on ideal power mix, add nuclear capacity: Manohar Lal to States
Power minister Manohar Lal on Friday said resource adequacy and necessary power generation capacity tie-ups should be ensured by states. States should, while meeting their resource adequacy plan , also work on having an adequate power generation mix, including addition of nuclear generation capacity, Lal said while addressing the regional power conference with southern states. Lal said states should work towards resolving the intra-state transmission sector challenges, including 'right of way' issues. He emphasized the need to adopt guidelines issued by the central government in this regard. States should leverage the scheme announced in Union Budget 2025-26 including the scheme of ₹1.5 lakh crore interest-free loan to states for 50-year for infrastructure development. Lal urged states to submit proposals for third phase of the Green Energy Corridor and asked to promote renewable energy coupled with storage solutions so as to have energy reliability and to collectively meet India's international climate commitments under the UNFCCC. Power secretary Pankaj Agarwal, who also addressed the conference, highlighted that it is crucial to ensure necessary power generation capacity tie-ups as per the resource adequacy plan for up to FY35 to meet future power demand. He added that It is imperative to make necessary arrangements for development of inter-state and intra-state transmission capacities through various financing models available including tariff-based competitive bidding , regulated tariff mechanism, budgetary support or monetization of existing assets. States should make all efforts for securing the power sector infrastructure, including the transmission grid and distribution systems, against cyber security concerns and should implement necessary cyber security protocols for the same, he added. In addition, states should work towards ensuring financial viability of distribution utilities, he said.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Work on ideal power mix, add nuclear capacity: Manohar Lal to States
Power Minister Manohar Lal urged southern states to ensure resource adequacy and a diverse power generation mix, including nuclear, while addressing intra-state transmission challenges. He emphasized leveraging the ₹1.5 lakh crore interest-free loan for infrastructure development and promoting renewable energy with storage. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Power minister Manohar Lal on Friday said resource adequacy and necessary power generation capacity tie-ups should be ensured by states. States should, while meeting their resource adequacy plan , also work on having an adequate power generation mix, including addition of nuclear generation capacity, Lal said while addressing the regional power conference with southern said states should work towards resolving the intra-state transmission sector challenges, including 'right of way' emphasized the need to adopt guidelines issued by the central government in this should leverage the scheme announced in Union Budget 2025-26 including the scheme of ₹1.5 lakh crore interest-free loan to states for 50-year for infrastructure urged states to submit proposals for third phase of the Green Energy Corridor and asked to promote renewable energy coupled with storage solutions so as to have energy reliability and to collectively meet India's international climate commitments under the secretary Pankaj Agarwal, who also addressed the conference, highlighted that it is crucial to ensure necessary power generation capacity tie-ups as per the resource adequacy plan for up to FY35 to meet future power added that It is imperative to make necessary arrangements for development of inter-state and intra-state transmission capacities through various financing models available including tariff-based competitive bidding , regulated tariff mechanism, budgetary support or monetization of existing should make all efforts for securing the power sector infrastructure, including the transmission grid and distribution systems, against cyber security concerns and should implement necessary cyber security protocols for the same, he addition, states should work towards ensuring financial viability of distribution utilities, he said.
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Power Minister urges Karnataka to roll out smart meters, reduce financial losses
Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday urged the Karnataka government to take steps to reduce annual financial losses of its power utilities and work towards implementing cost-reflective tariffs. He also suggested that pre-paid smart meters be saturated across all government establishments, including local bodies and colonies, by August 2025 in the State. He conducted a comprehensive review of the power sector of the State, including the current status of power generation, transmission, and distribution. The Minister also highlighted the importance of the timely clearance of financial dues from government departments. The non-clearance of power dues by government departments was one of the main reasons why Karnataka could not roll out smart meters under the Centre's Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme. Mr. Khattar stressed the need for a centralised payment mechanism for efficient management of government electricity dues. He also advised early resolution of the right of way (RoW) issues impeding transmission infrastructure and called for the adoption of the compensation mechanism issued by the Government of India. RoW refers to the strip of land required by a utility for constructing, maintaining, and protecting the transmission lines. The Minister was in Bengaluru for the Regional Conference for the Southern Region States/Union Territories (UT), which was attended by the Energy/Electricity Ministers of the States and Puducherry. 'The States should leverage the scheme announced in Union Budget 2025-26, including the scheme of ₹1.5 lakh crore interest-free loan to States for 50 years for infrastructure development,' the Union Minister said. He also urged all States to submit proposals for the third phase of the Green Energy Corridor (GEC-III) and remarked that they should promote renewable energy coupled with storage solutions so as to have energy reliability and to collectively meet India's international climate commitments under the UNFCCC.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
States asked to submit green energy corridor proposals, complete prepaid metering by 2025
New Delhi: The Union government on Friday urged southern states to submit proposals for Phase-III of the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) and complete the installation of prepaid smart meters in government establishments by August 2025, and in commercial and high-load consumer categories by November 2025. The directions were issued at the Regional Conference for Southern Region States and Union Territories held in Bengaluru. The meeting was chaired by Union Minister for Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Manohar Lal and attended by Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy Shripad Naik, Karnataka Energy Minister K J George, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu, Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister S S Sivasankar, Puducherry Electricity Minister A Namassivayam, and Andhra Pradesh Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar via video conferencing. The Power Secretary highlighted the importance of planning power generation capacity in line with the resource adequacy plan up to FY2035 and called for infrastructure development using financing options such as Tariff Based Competitive Bidding, Regulated Tariff Mechanism, budgetary support, or asset monetisation. States were also asked to implement cyber security protocols and ensure financial health of distribution companies. Karnataka's Energy Minister requested central support for state-level distribution and transmission projects. Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry outlined their initiatives and progress on power sector development . Union Minister of State Shripad Naik asked states to execute PM-KUSUM projects and sign related Power Purchase Agreements within seven months. He assured that the Centre is acting on the feedback received from states. Union minister Manohar Lal emphasised the need for cooperation between the Centre and states to make the power sector financially sustainable. He called for encouraging energy-efficient practices, resolving intra-state transmission issues including Right of Way constraints, and adopting central guidelines. The minister urged states to use the ₹1.5 lakh crore, 50-year interest-free loan scheme announced in Union Budget 2025–26 for infrastructure development. He highlighted the role of renewable energy with storage in ensuring energy reliability and fulfilling India's global climate commitments. On the distribution side, the Minister cited challenges such as poor tariff structures, billing inefficiencies, and delays in subsidy payments. He asked states to engage with electricity regulators for cost-reflective tariffs and timely orders. The minister also directed the completion of prepaid smart meter rollout in government buildings by August 2025 and for commercial and high-load users by November 2025. He said smart meters could improve efficiency and transparency using analytics-based tools. He assured states of continued central government support in strengthening the power sector.
