The 40th National Committee on Transmission meeting highlighted India’s accelerating focus on grid expansion and energy storage integration to support renewable energy growth. Discussions covered transmission planning for over 900 GW of non-fossil capacity by FY36, deployment of BESS as transmission assets, renewable energy evacuation challenges in Rajasthan and Gujarat, and measures to reduce grid congestion and renewable curtailment risks.
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Authority: Central Electricity Authority (CEA)
Country: India
Focus: Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
Role: Grid stability, flexibility, renewable integration
Trend: Increasing integration of BESS in power planning
Key Benefit: Reduced curtailment and improved reliability
The 40th meeting of National Committee on Transmission (NCT) was held on 15 April 2026 in New Delhi. The meeting focused on planning and approving key infrastructure for India’s Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS), with BESS highlighted as a transformative “non-wire alternative” to conventional infrastructure.
The committee discussed the use of BESS as an alternative, which is more cost effective in constructing large high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines. The primary focus has been on the Barmer-II (Rajasthan) to South Kalamb (Maharashtra) transmission corridor. Initially, the NCT evaluated replacing a planned HVDC link with a massive BESS project to evacuate 6 GW of solar power.
A proposed 6 GW BESS project in Rajasthan was estimated to cost around ₹21,000 crore, which is lower than ₹34,000 crore required for a similar HVDC line based on Voltage Source Converter (VSC) technology. BESS was also highlighted for its ability to reduce renewable energy curtailment and manage grid imbalances through storing excess power and supply it during peak demand while helping to stabilize the grid.
The Central Transmission Utility of India (CTUIL) proposed a benchmark land requirement of 3 acres per 100 MWh for future BESS projects to streamline planning. Under this proposal, developers must submit land documents corresponding to at least 1.5 acres per 100 MWh, with the benchmark including Balance of Plant (BOP) requirements. This was part of a larger discussion regarding the procedure for connectivity to projects, including the submission of financial closure proofs.
In the earlier meetings like 30th NCT, BESS is rejected in favor of HVDC due to high capital costs sometimes. By the fall of battery prices. the 40th meeting reflected a new thinking that the ability of BESS to be deployed much faster than traditional infrastructure. So, BESS is being prioritized in this meeting to capture surplus renewable energy, which may be wasted due to transmission congestion or grid imbalances. This feasibility for BESS is provided by NCT in providing real-time grid support such as frequency regulation and voltage control. India aims for 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030 and so these BESS controls are becoming critical.
The meeting aligns with newly notified CEA Safety and Electric Supply Amendment Regulations 2026 ensures a comprehensive safety framework for large-scale BESS deployment. Despite the storage-led approach HVDC remains the preferred choice for bulk power transfer over 800–1000 km. BESS is increasingly seen as a complementary asset for managing local peak demand and preventing solar curtailment, rather than a total replacement for high-capacity long-distance lines.