The Ministry of Power has approved a plea from ReNew Dinkar Urja, a special-purpose vehicle of ReNew Power, to set up overhead transmission lines for its 200 MW solar power project in Bikaner, Rajasthan.

The approval for the overhead lines has been granted for 25 years.

ReNew will have to seek the consent of the concerned authorities, i.e., local bodies, railways, national highways, and state highways, before the erection of proposed lines.

The company must follow the regulations and codes of the appropriate commission regarding transmission, operation & maintenance, and open access framed under the Electricity Act, 2003.

Also, the company will be allowed to operate the lines only after approval from the central government’s electrical inspector or chief electrical inspector.

The company will have to submit the requisite clearances to Central Electricity Authority after obtaining the same from concerned authorities like civil aviation and defense at the time of electrical inspection.

The proposed transmission lines will pass through Jaimalsar, Kawni, Sharah, Borla, Nokha Daiya, and Bhanipura villages in the Bikaner district of Rajasthan.

In case the route of the overhead transmission lines falls in the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) potential area marked on the map, which is part of the order of the Supreme Court dated April 19, 2021, ReNew Dinkar Urja will have to comply with the directions of the Supreme Court concerning undergrounding of the overhead transmission lines or fixing of bird diverters.

ReNew Dinkar Urja had issued a public notice in local newspapers on December 23, 2022, and in the Weekly Gazette of India, inviting comments or objections on the proposed transmission route within 60 days from the date of publication.

Later the company submitted an affidavit on March 16, 2023, declaring that no objection was received from the public for the proposed transmission program.

Last month, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had revoked its order granting an extension of 30 days for the commissioning of renewable energy projects, for which the transmission infrastructure lies in the GIB area, and the project commissioning has been delayed due to the non-completion of transmission infrastructure.

The Ministry of Power recently approved SJVN’s request to set up overhead transmission lines for its 1,000 MW solar power project in Bikaner, Rajasthan.