2026-09-18 · TBCB · CERC · Transmission · RE-Evacuation
India's 765kV Backbone Accelerates: TBCB Wins, State Buildouts, CERC Tariff Clarity
From MP's 600MW Bhedaghat readiness to UP's ₹38,520cr transmission blueprint, India's grid infrastructure push gathers pace alongside fresh CERC tariff orders and TBCB scheme awards.
- Tata Power expands transmission footprint via Gopalpur TBCB licence [3], Jalpura-Khurja 400kV commissioning [5], and Ryapte Power acquisition [8]
- CERC formalizes tariffs for Powergrid's Mahan-Rewa 150km line at ₹101.03 crore annually [7][15]
- UP unveils ₹38,520cr five-year transmission plan to evacuate 8.25 GW renewable capacity through FY2030-31 [16][17]
- Gujarat's 14GW RE evacuation plan advances with six bidders shortlisted for Lakadia-C interstate scheme [12]
- RECPDCL's ₹5,200cr ERES-47 765kV project draws seven bidders, signaling strong private sector appetite for high-value TBCB assets [14]
TBCB Pipeline Heats Up as Private Players Compete
India's tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) framework continues attracting aggressive private participation. Tata Power secured a transmission licence for its Gopalpur interstate scheme [3], while RECPDCL shortlisted seven bidders for the ₹5,200 crore ERES-47 765kV project [14]. Similarly, six firms were shortlisted for the Lakadia-C interstate scheme, part of Gujarat's ambitious 14 GW renewable evacuation plan [12]. These parallel processes indicate sustained investor confidence in transmission as an asset class, particularly for high-capacity 765kV corridors linking renewable-rich states to demand centers. The competitive intensity—multiple bidders per project—suggests healthy returns expectations despite execution risks inherent in multi-year, multi-crore transmission builds. This TBCB momentum is critical infrastructure underpinning India's renewable capacity addition targets, though timeline and cost overruns remain perennial execution risks for lenders financing these projects.
State Transmission Plans Signal Long-Term RE Evacuation Commitment
Uttar Pradesh's proposed ₹38,520 crore five-year transmission buildout, currently under UPERC review, aims to evacuate 8.25 GW of renewable power through FY2030-31 [16][17]. This represents one of the largest state-level transmission capital plans disclosed recently, reflecting UP's renewable ambitions beyond its traditional thermal-heavy profile. Separately, Madhya Pradesh is preparing infrastructure to receive 600 MW from PGCIL's 765kV Bhedaghat pooling station [1], indicating readiness on the receiving end of interstate power flows. Together, these developments show states proactively building receiving and evacuation infrastructure ahead of generation capacity coming online—a shift from historical patterns where transmission often lagged generation. For DISCOMs, this front-loaded investment could ease future grid congestion but requires careful tariff pass-through planning given the scale of capital involved.
CERC Tariff Orders and Cost-Allocation Debate
CERC adopted a ₹101.03 crore annual tariff for Powergrid's 150km Mahan-Rewa transmission project [7][15], providing regulatory certainty for this specific asset. More consequentially, CERC is addressing a broader structural question: who bears the cost of bringing renewable energy to industrial hubs [2]. This cost-allocation debate has significant implications for how transmission charges are distributed between generators, DISCOMs, and industrial consumers going forward. As India scales renewable capacity requiring dedicated evacuation infrastructure, resolving this allocation mechanism will shape investment economics across the TBCB pipeline. Developers and lenders should watch this regulatory determination closely, as it could alter project bankability assumptions for transmission lines specifically built to serve industrial renewable demand rather than general grid strengthening.
Corporate Consolidation: Tata Power's Multi-Front Expansion
Tata Power demonstrated broad-based transmission and generation momentum today. The company commissioned its 162 CKM, 400kV double-circuit Jalpura-Khurja line [5], acquired Ryapte Power Transmission for ₹10.87 crore [8], and scaled its renewable portfolio to 12.3 GW with a 100 MW commissioning [6]. This combination of organic transmission asset commissioning, inorganic acquisition, and generation scale-up illustrates an integrated growth strategy spanning both wires and generation. Meanwhile, KEC International's shares rallied 6% following new orders worth ₹1,303 crore across multiple business segments [13], reinforcing that EPC contractors are also benefiting from the current transmission capex cycle. These corporate moves collectively signal that established players are consolidating position across India's expanding T&D value chain.
So what: For developers, the TBCB pipeline and state transmission plans offer expanding project opportunities, but CERC's pending cost-allocation ruling for industrial RE evacuation could reshape tariff economics. DISCOMs should monitor UP's capex plan for pass-through implications, while lenders evaluating transmission project finance should factor in execution track records given the scale of concurrent state and TBCB commitments.
Listen or watch today's brief
Recorded 18 Sept 2026, 09:12 am ISTSources (17)
- [1] Madhya Pradesh prepares ground to receive 600 MW from PGCIL’s 765kV Bhedaghat PS - T&D India — T&D India
- [2] Who Should Pay to Bring RE to India's Industrial Hubs? CERC Responds - Saur Energy — Saur Energy
- [3] Tata Power’s Gopalpur interstate-TBCB scheme receives transmission licence - T&D India — T&D India
- [4] AMEA Power Commissions 24 MWp Ituka Solar PV Project In Uganda - SolarQuarter — SolarQuarter
- [5] Tata Power Commissions 162 CKM, 400 kV Double-Circuit Jalpura-Khurja Transmission Line - Wire & Cable India — Wire & Cable India
- [6] Tata Power scales renewable portfolio to 12.3 GW with 100 MW commissioning - scanx.trade — scanx.trade
- [7] CERC Adopts INR 101.03 Crore Annual Tariff For 150 KM Mahan-Rewa Transmission Project - SolarQuarter — SolarQuarter
- [8] Tata Power acquires Ryapte Power Transmission for ₹10.87 crore - scanx.trade — scanx.trade
- [9] Poland High-Speed Rail Draws 18 Bidders for Power System Never Used in 89 Years - Tech Times — Tech Times
- [10] KETRACO Boss Kipkemoi Kibias Under Pressure to Explain Circumstances of Technician's Death at Suswa Substation as Workers Expose Pattern of Electrocutions Swept Under the Carpet - nyakundireport.com — nyakundireport.com
- [11] Six shortlisted for “Lakadia-C” interstate scheme, part of Gujarat 14-GW RE evacuation plan - T&D India — T&D India
- [12] KEC International shares rally 6% after securing new orders worth Rs 1,303 crore across multiple business segments - indiaipo.in — indiaipo.in
- [13] Hagen Fire now 87% contained, Level 3 Evacuations remain in place - AppleValleyNewsNow.com — AppleValleyNewsNow.com
- [14] RECPDCL Shortlists Seven Bidders For INR 5,200 Crore ERES-47 765 kV Transmission Project - SolarQuarter — SolarQuarter
- [15] CERC approves tariff of Powergrid Mahan Rewa Transmission - T&D India — T&D India
- [16] UP Plans ₹38,520cr Transmission Buildout to Evacuate 8.25 GW of Renewable Power - Saur Energy — Saur Energy
- [17] UPERC Reviews INR 38,519 Crore Five-Year Transmission Plan For Uttar Pradesh Through FY 2030–31 - SolarQuarter — SolarQuarter