CEA Standardises ISTS Timelines to Improve Renewable Energy Evacuation Planning

CEA Standardises ISTS Timelines to Improve Renewable Energy Evacuation Planning Photograph: (Archive)

In a move aimed at improving coordination between generation and transmission infrastructure, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has notified standard implementation timelines for Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) projects, providing renewable energy developers greater visibility on transmission readiness for upcoming solar, wind, hybrid and storage projects.

The timelines, approved by the National Committee on Transmission (NCT) during its 40th meeting held on April 15, 2026, cover a range of transmission assets including substations, transmission lines and HVDC systems, with implementation periods ranging from 24 months to 54 months depending on project complexity.

According to the CEA office memorandum, greenfield 765 kV and 400 kV substations will have a standard implementation timeline of 36 months, while 765 kV double-circuit transmission lines exceeding 100 km will be allotted 36 months. HVDC systems, which are increasingly being deployed to transfer renewable power across regions, will have implementation timelines of 48-54 months.

The authority said generation developers, transmission developers, DISCOMs and bulk consumers should incorporate these timelines while planning generation schedules, financial closure, equipment procurement and associated project milestones. The move is expected to facilitate better synchronization between renewable energy projects and the transmission infrastructure required to evacuate power from resource-rich regions.

Industry stakeholders have frequently highlighted delays arising from mismatches between renewable energy project commissioning and transmission readiness. By establishing benchmark implementation schedules, the CEA aims to improve predictability in transmission planning and support coordinated development of the national grid as India accelerates renewable energy capacity additions.

The memorandum also provides flexibility for projects located in difficult terrain, including the North Eastern Region, Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, where implementation timelines may be extended by six to twelve months based on project-specific requirements.

For transmission schemes comprising multiple project components, the longest qualifying implementation timeline among the constituent assets will be considered for the overall scheme, although compressed schedules may be approved on a case-by-case basis in exceptional circumstances.