The inter-regional transmission links being developed under India’s Green Energy Corridor program are ready to begin evacuating an aggregate capacity of 19.95 GW, according to government data.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, the Minister for Power R. K. Singh stated, “The Green Energy Corridor has been planned to facilitate the integration of large scale renewable generation capacity in eight renewable energy resource rich states, including Tamil Nadu. It includes the strengthening of intra-state and inter-state transmission systems and establishment of Renewable Energy Management Centers (REMCs).”

(Source: Ministry of Power)

The inter-state transmission systems and REMCs are being implemented by the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL).

The project includes approximately 3,200 circuit kilometers (ckms) of line and six substations totaling 18,000 MVA that are set to be completed by May 2019.

Some of the transmission system has already been commissioned and the remaining balance of the transmission scheme is being implemented. Each intra-state transmission system is being overseen by its respective State Transmission Utility (STU).

The information was from Singh’s reply to questions about the steps being taken by the government to enhance the connectivity of the power grid between Tamil Nadu and other states.

Replying to the query, Singh also stated, “The southern region is connected with the North-East-West Region (NEWR) through various inter-regional AC links at 220kV, 400KV, 765kV level and HVDC link. With the commissioning of new transmission lines, the grid connectivity upstream and downstream of the main NEWR-SR corridor has further strengthened.”

The need for the Green Energy Corridor to be completed as soon as possible is underscored by the fact that India is increasing its clean energy generation capacity each year. Mercom reports that more than 64 GW of renewable energy capacity have been connected to India’s grid so far.

There is growing skepticism whether India’s transmission infrastructure is well-equipped to handle the influx of renewable power generation.

The nation’s increasing renewable energy capacity has also recently prompted a number of states to propose deviation charges anticipating challenges in integrating intermittent renewable energy into the grid. These states include Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.