From Regional Silos to a National Grid: Tracing India’s Journey in Power Transmission

This transformation in India was made possible through its astonishing infrastructure development, from being isolated state-level power networks to one of the most extensive and valuable national grids in the world. Power reliability has been improved over the years, access has been enhanced, and integration of renewable energy sources all throughout the subcontinent has been made possible.

The Era of Fragmented Regional Grids
India's electricity terrain was divided in five mostly self-contained regional grids, Northern, Eastern, Western, Southern, and North-Eastern, in the decades following independence. While these grids developed independently by states and utilities met local power demands, they lacked the capacity for cross-regional power exchange. This meant that surplus electricity in one area frequently could not be sent to a deficient opposite region, causing power shortages, inefficiencies, and subpar use of generating resources.

Grid management was difficult, and India's energy mix, mostly coal-based, produced regional variations in strengths and weaknesses. Without national coordination, emergency power sharing or resource optimization was nearly impossible.

Building the National Grid: Milestones and Integration
With the aim of a united grid, the integration started in the early 1990s. India gained interconnections between the Eastern, North-Eastern, Western, and Northern grids between 1991 and 2006. This cluster, known as the NEW grid, operated synchronously at a unified frequency of 50 Hz.
The Southern grid was the last puzzle piece. For years it ran asynchronously, linked only by high-voltage direct current (HVDC) connections which didn't permit unimpeded flow of electricity. With the commissioning of the 765 kV Raichur–Sholapur transmission line on December 31, 2013, which eventually linked the Southern grid to the rest of the country in synchronous mode, this changed.
By that point, India had achieved the goal of “One Nation, One Grid, One Frequency.” With over 120,000 MW of inter-regional transmission capacity by 2025, this national grid will allow for major power transfers and so dramatically enhance the reliability of the power network.
Supporting the Renewable Energy Revolution
India's aspirations for clean energy have fast turned. The country surpassed the 175 GW mark in installed renewable energy capacity in 2022, fulfilling a 2015 goal. Including wind, solar, hydro, and bio-power, last year's total came almost 290 GW with solar topping the list.
This change has been made possible in large part by the unified national grid. Resource-rich countries (e.g., Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu) often generate renewable energy, but it must be delivered to load centers far distant. The main facilitator has been the Green Energy Corridor, started in 2012, which will add more than 9,000 circuit kilometers of transmission lines in phase 1 and 10,000+ kilometers in phase 2 by 2024.
Improved real-time grid balancing made possible by the India Smart Grid Mission and implementation of modern energy management systems is critical for managing the changing pattern of wind and solar energy.
Looking Ahead: Challenges and Strategic Direction
The demands on India's national grid will climb as India approaches its 500 GW non-fossil fuel goal by 2030. It's not only about adding additional lines; transmission expansion is also about building intelligent, resilient infrastructure that can handle various energy sources, shifting consumption patterns, and possible climate-related disturbances.

By 2031-32, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) estimates that the total inter-regional transmission capacity will have to ramp to approximately 167,540 MW. Ultra-high voltage AC and DC lines, energy storage systems, and digital technologies like AI-powered forecasting are all part of planning for this.

However, challenges remain:

Land acquisition and environmental clearances can delay transmission projects. 

Grid congestion is still seen in regions with high renewable penetration. 

Investment gaps exist, especially in remote or border regions where private participation is low. 

To tackle these, the government has expanded production-linked incentives (PLI) for local manufacturing of transmission and storage equipment. There’s also increased focus on international grid interconnectivity, such as the proposed “One Sun One World One Grid” initiative, which envisions energy sharing across Asia and Africa.

Conclusion
India’s power transmission story is a cornerstone of its economic and environmental future. What began as disconnected regional efforts has evolved into a globally admired grid system that fuels everything from urban growth to rural development and green energy ambitions. With strong policy frameworks, technological innovation, and continued investment, the Indian grid is not just keeping pace with demand, it is laying the foundation for a sustainable, electrified future.

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