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Contracts for Ladakh HVDC project to be awarded in Q1FY26

Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) expects to awards contracts for its mega HVDC scheme in Ladakh in the first quarter (Q1: April to June) of FY26. PGCIL is developing the project under the regulated tariff mechanism (RTM) mode.

Addressing an investor conference on February 5, 2025, R.K. Tyagi, CMD, PGCIL, said that advanced discussions with potential suppliers were currently in progress, and contracts are expected to be finalized in the first quarter of FY26, which is between April and June 2025.

The mega HVDC scheme, estimated to cost around Rs.20,000 crore, will use VSC (voltage source converter) technology and will have a gestation period of five years, Tyagi noted.

Officially known as “Green Energy Corridor (GEC) Phase-II – Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) for 13 GW Renewable Energy Project in Ladakh,” the Ladakh HVDC project envisages 713 km (running) transmission lines (including 480 km of ±350kV HVDC line) and two HVDC terminals — each at Pang (Ladakh) and Kaithal (Haryana).

This project will help evacuation corresponding to 13 GW of upcoming solar capacity in the Pang region of Ladakh. This solar capacity will be supported by 12 GWh of battery energy storage system (BESS), it is learnt.

 

More HVDC schemes

Apart from the Ladakh scheme, PGCIL is currently implementing several other HVDC projects —Khavda V-A under the TBCB mode, and evacuation schemes for wind energy offshore Gujarat and Tamil Nadu under the RTM modality.

The Khavda V-A HVDC project is expected to cost around Rs.35,000 crore and has an implementation timeframe of four and a half years. Designed on LCC (line commutative converter) technology, PGCIL has placed major orders for this HVDC scheme on Hitachi Energy and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.

The wind energy evacuation schemes will cater to 500 MW offshore Gujarat and 1 GW offshore Tamil Nadu. Both the schemes are scheduled for completion in four years. Very recently PGCIL accorded investment approval to one project element associated with the Gujarat offshore scheme.

 

Paradeep-Andaman-Nicobar HVDC link

As reported by T&D India on February 3, 2025, the National Committee on Transmission (NCT) approved implementation of the Paradeep-Andaman-Nicobar HVDC scheme by a government entity under the RTM mode. Regarding this project, the PGCIL CMD clarified that there has been no official communication yet naming PGCIL as the implementation agency.

 

HVDC-based transmission

India is expected to add 15,432 km of transmission lines and 32,250 MW of transfer capacity through HVDC schemes during the five-year period from FY28 to FY32 (April 1, 2028 to March 31, 2032), using a combination of TBCB and RTM philosophies. Speaking of the TBCB mode, so far two schemes have been awarded – Khavda V-A Power Transmission Ltd to PGCIL, and Rajasthan Part I Power Transmission Ltd to Adani Energy Solutions Ltd.

PGCIL has been named as the implementation agency for the Ladakh HVDC scheme and the offshore wind energy evacuation schemes as discussed in this story. Currently, one TBCB scheme involving HVDC technology – housed under KPS III HVDC Transmission Ltd – is under bidding.

Speaking of imminent HVDC additions, around 80 ckm of lines and 1,000 MW of transfer capacity will be commissioned, most likely during FY26, by one intrastate RTM project of Adani Energy Solutions Ltd in Maharashtra.

Currently, India’s HVDC-based transmission infrastructure covers 19,375 ckm of lines and 33,500 MW of transfer capacity.

 

Featured photograph (source: PGCIL) is for representation only.

 

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