Renewable energy generation in Rajasthan continues to experience large-scale curtailment, despite new transmission projects coming online.

The 765 kV Khetri–Narela interstate transmission line, recently commissioned, was expected to ease evacuation constraints for renewable projects in western Rajasthan. On the ground, however, developers say little has changed during peak solar hours.

The concern was raised at a Central Electricity Authority (CEA) meeting convened to address renewable energy curtailment in the state. Developers told the CEA that nearly 4 GW of commissioned renewable capacity continues to be curtailed during peak solar hours due to inadequate transmission margins, even after the new transmission line became operational.

According to developers, delays in associated interstate transmission system infrastructure have limited the effective operationalization of general network access (GNA) for several projects. As a result, the additional transmission capacity has not translated into a proportional increase in grid evacuation.

Grid India told the meeting that before the Khetri–Narela line was commissioned, around 3.8 GW of renewable capacity was allowed to inject power during peak solar hours, with the balance accommodated in a staggered manner during non-peak periods. After commissioning, GNA has become effective for about 4.8 GW of renewable capacity. Even so, roughly 4 GW remains restricted during the peak solar generation window between 11 am and 2 pm.

Officials cited a range of technical constraints contributing to the continued curtailment. These include voltage oscillations at renewable energy complexes, low short-circuit ratios at pooling stations, overloading of the Bhadla–Bikaner 400 kV line, and heavy loading on the Bikaner–Khetri 765 kV transmission corridor.

The meeting concluded with a set of action points to ease these constraints. Grid India will share phasor measurement unit data with affected developers to help diagnose voltage oscillation issues. Developers have been asked to implement mitigation measures in consultation with equipment manufacturers and to share their findings with grid operators.

The CEA also directed that clear timelines for commissioning under-construction transmission projects be shared with developers to improve coordination between generation and evacuation readiness. The upgrading of the Bhadla–Bikaner 400 kV line will be expedited, and a joint meeting has been planned between Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam and POWERGRID. Grid India and Central Transmission Utility of India will also examine additional transmission augmentation measures, including dynamic line rating.

Yet official records present a very different picture. Monthly curtailment registers published by Rajasthan’s State Load Despatch Centre for November and December 2025, and for January 2026 up to January 11, show “NIL” curtailment for both solar and wind.

The divergence could stem from how curtailment is defined. In many states, curtailment is captured primarily through SLDC-issued curtailment instructions that are logged and reported. If renewable injection is reduced due to network access limitations that are not explicitly logged as curtailment instructions, the resulting loss may not appear in curtailment data.

Mercom has previously reported on Rajasthan’s mounting challenges with renewable energy evacuation, including delays in commissioning transmission projects intended to support large-scale solar and wind additions.

Grid India’s Operational Feedback on Transmission Constraints (April–June 2025) report had also flagged that delays of more than 18 months in a transmission system strengthening program had stalled the evacuation of substantial renewable capacity in the state.

Looking ahead, Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam has said the state will have up to 13 GW of spare transmission capacity in the financial year (FY) 2026 for future renewable projects. That headroom is expected to fall to 1.4 GW in FY 2027, rise to 3.9 GW in FY 2028, and decline again to 1.9 GW by FY 2029.

As Rajasthan continues to add renewable capacity in line with India’s clean energy targets, the mismatch between official curtailment data and actual grid operations is becoming harder to overlook. Without a clearer accounting of effective curtailment and faster alignment between generation growth and transmission readiness, renewable energy growth could face serious hurdles.