Key facts
- India's Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has issued standard implementation timelines for Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) projects.
- The new timelines aim to synchronize power transmission infrastructure with new electricity generation, especially for renewable energy.
- High-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission projects must be completed within a maximum of 54 months.
- A 765-kilovolt substation must be built within three years.
- Projects in difficult terrain may be granted additional time, with 6-12 months for those in specific hilly or challenging regions.
- Stakeholders are advised to integrate these schedules into their project planning, financial closure, and procurement processes.
India has introduced a standardised set of timelines for power transmission projects to better coordinate grid expansion with generation and distribution infrastructure, aiming to accelerate the integration of renewable energy. The guidelines, issued by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), are intended to bring greater alignment between generation projects, transmission networks and last-mile distribution infrastructure, reducing delays that can leave new power capacity waiting for grid connectivity.
At its 40th meeting on April 15, 2026, the National Committee on Transmission (NCT) approved these timelines. High-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission projects must be completed within a maximum of 54 months, while a 765-kilovolt substation should be built within three years. Projects in difficult terrain, such as in the North Eastern Region, Sikkim, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh, may be granted an additional six to 12 months on a need or merit basis.
Stakeholders, including generation and transmission developers, distribution companies, and bulk-load consumers, are advised to factor these timelines into their project planning, financial closure, equipment procurement, and related milestones. This move comes as transmission network expansion globally struggles to keep pace with rapidly growing renewable energy capacity, often leading to delays in connecting new solar and wind projects to the grid. Energy research firm Ember noted that grid constraints threaten to slow India's energy transition, with the country achieving only about 80% of its annual transmission expansion targets over the past five years, and roughly one in four inter-state transmission projects facing delays of at least one year.