About GEC
- Objective: Synchronize power generated from renewable energy (RE) sources (solar and wind) with conventional national/state grids, enabling smooth power evacuation and tackling intermittency.
- Ultimate Goal: Supports India’s non-fossil fuel capacity targets (900 GW by 2035).
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
Phase-Wise Evolution
| Phase | Key Focus & Evacuation Capacity | Financial Outlay & Assistance | Implementation Highlights |
| Phase-I | Intra-State transmission across 8 RE-rich states (~20-24 GW) | Supported by domestic funds and foreign development loans (e.g., KfW Germany) | Focus on transmission lines and sub-stations setup in states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, etc. |
| Phase-II | Intra-State transmission across 7 states to evacuate ~20 GW of RE | Outlay: ~₹12,031 crore; Central Financial Assistance (CFA) @ 33% | Focused on adding transmission lines and transformation capacity (MVA). |
| Phase-III | Evacuation of up to 135 GW of RE + 50 GWh of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) | Total Outlay: ₹1,86,405 crore; Central Support: ₹54,082 crore | Greenfield projects via Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB); Brownfield via Cost Plus Basis (CPB). |
Key Concepts
- Scope: Covers both Intra-State Transmission Systems (InSTS) (implemented by State Transmission Utilities) and specific Inter-State components (like Ladakh RE evacuation).
- Role of BESS: Phase-III introduces dedicated Battery Energy Storage Systems to combat grid congestion, peak-hour curtailment, and non-solar hour power demands.
- Financial Mechanism: Central Financial Assistance (CFA) is utilized specifically to offset intra-state transmission charges, keeping retail power costs low for consumers.
Conclusion
Green Energy Corridor is the transmission backbone required to convert India’s rapidly expanding renewable-energy capacity into reliable, grid-integrated electricity.
| This concept has been elaborately discussed in the following article – Strengthening the Grid for Green Power |