Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has granted interim transmission licence to two RTM projects that are being implemented by TBCB subsidiaries of Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL).
In very recent orders, CERC has granted interim licence to the following two schemes, both located in Rajasthan.
Scheme: Augmentation of transformation capacity at 765/400/220kV Bikaner-III by 1×500 MVA, 400/220kV ICT (6th) along with associated bays
Cost: Rs.49,60 crore
Completion: 18 months (by July 20, 2026)
Scheme: Augmentation of transformation capacity at 400/220kV Bikaner-II by 1×500 MVA, 400/220kV ICT (10th) along with associated bays
Cost: Rs.50.71 crore
Completion: 18 months (by July 20, 2026)
Both these schemes are being implemented by TBCB subsidiaries of PGCIL. The first is by Powergrid Bikaner Neemrana Transmission Ltd (PBNTL) and the second by Powergrid Bikaner Transmission System Ltd (PBTSL).
Both these entities are independently developing ISTS schemes under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) route and these projects represent augmentations to assets being created, or already commissioned, by these TBCB subsidiaries.
CERC has directed the two entities – PBNTL and PBTSL – to issue public notices seeking objections/suggestions. Any suggestions need to be placed before CERC by July 14, 2025 and the matter will come up for next hearing on July 16, 2025 in the case of PBNTL and July 17, 2025 for PBTSL.
As each of the two projects costs less than Rs.100 crore, Central Transmission Utility of India Ltd (CTUIL) was empowered to approve the projects, including the mode of implementation. CTUIL’s approval for both the projects came on January 21, 2025.
Underlying TBCB projects
It may be mentioned that the TBCB project of Powergrid Bikaner Transmission System Ltd was completed in June 2023, and involved 801 ckm of transmission line meant for evacuation of RE power from Rajasthan.
The TBCB scheme of Powergrid Bikaner Neemrana Transmission Ltd is currently under implementation and is expected to commission by December 2025. It is a relatively large transmission system costing over Rs.4,700 crore and entailing 821 ckm of lines along with 11,500 MVA of transformation capacity. This project too is dedicated to RE evacuation from the Bikaner region in Rajasthan.
Work in hand
As of March 31, 2025, PGCIL had around Rs.46,800 crore worth of RTM projects in hand. This included both new RTM projects and existing ones. This quantum represented 30 per cent of PGCIL’s total work-in-hand that stood at Rs.1,54,680 crore. TBCB projects with a share of a little over two-thirds dominated the work-in-hand portfolio, as of given date.
Also read: CERC grants interim licence to Khavda V-B1B2 Power Transmission
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