Posts by Venugopal Pillai

Battery energy storage being evaluated as alternative to HVDC link in Rajasthan

The option of using battery energy storage system (BESS) as an alternative to an HVDC-based transmission system is being evaluated in Rajasthan. This discussion came about during the latest meeting of the National Committee on Transmission ( Read more

Airtel Business is gaining leadership in India’s smart metering space

Airtel Business is rapidly acquiring leadership position in India’s smart metering space, thanks to its ability to provide connectivity, cloud infrastructure and applications as a bundled solution to AMISPs and utilities. In this interaction, we have Sharat Sinha, Read more

IEX

IEX volumes up 26 per cent in April 2025

The opening month of the current fiscal year saw electricity trade volume on the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) grow 26 per cent, year-on-year. In a release, IEX said that it achieved monthly electricity traded volume of 10,584 MU in Read more

Arunachal, Sikkim T&D upgrade scheme over 60 per cent complete

The Centrally-sponsored “Comprehensive Scheme of Transmission & Distribution System in Arunachal Pradesh & Sikkim,” is over 60 per cent complete, albeit with long time overruns. According to latest data released by Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the Read more

Wi-SUN can help accelerate growth of smart metering in India

The Wi-SUN Alliance is a global industry association focused on advancing wireless communication technologies for various large-geography Internet of Things (IoT) applications, including smart metering. In this exclusive interaction, we have Phil Beecher, President & CEO, Wi-SUN Alliance, Read more

MPPTCL Narmadapuram | T&D India

Substation capacity addition up 22 per cent in FY25

India added an impressive 86,433 MVA of transformation (substation) capacity in FY25 – a quantum that was 22.2 per cent more than the 70,728 MVA added in FY24. The FY25 performance on the substation front was in pleasant contrast Read more

Nine ISTS-TBCB schemes fully commissioned in FY25

Latest official statistics suggest that nine interstate transmission system (ISTS) schemes, awarded under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) route, were fully commissioned during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. While Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) accounted Read more

With 45 schemes awarded, FY25 proves very eventful for ISTS-TBCB market

Fiscal year FY25 that closed on March 31, 2025 has been a record year for the ISTS-TBCB market, on several counts. Based on an exclusive study by T&D India, FY25 saw as many as 45 interstate transmission system (ISTS) Read more

Bihar leads in smart meter installations

Bihar today is the leading state in terms of consumer smart meter installations, official statistics suggest. According to data available on the National Smart Grid Mission portal, as of March 18, 2025, Bihar had a total of 63.55 lakh Read more

India’s power transmission sector is exceptionally attractive for lending institutions: Avener Capital

In this exchange with T&D India, we have Abhishek Kumar, Executive Director, Avener Capital, giving insights into new paradigms in the power transmission sector, touching upon aspects like enhanced involvement of private sector entities thanks to the TBCB Read more