Interregional electricity transfer falls 5 per cent in 9MFY26

The total volume of electricity transfer across the five regional grids declined by 5 per cent, year-on-year, during the first three quarters (9M: April to December) of FY26.

According to latest data released by Grid Controller of India Ltd (GRID-INDIA), the country’s total interregional transfer stood at 1,86,140 MU (million units or million kWh or GWh) during 9MFY26 as against 1,95,848 MU in the same period of FY25.

Transfer from Western Region grid to the Northern Region grid (WR – NR) continued to be the single-largest component of interregional exchange. However, the volume of WR-NR transfer declined significantly by 10.9 per cent – from 73,139 MU in 9MFY25 from 65,191 MU in 9MFY26.

The share of WR-NR transfer in the country’s total interregional transfer also dropped from 37.3 per cent in 9MFY25 to 35 per cent in 9MFY26.

NR saw a decline in imports and exports during 9MFY26. While imports fell sharply by 10.7 per cent, exports were 1.1 per cent lower. With the result, NR was a net importer of electricity to a lesser extent of 68,601 MU in 9MFY26 as against 78,433 MU in 9MFY25.

WR, always a net exporter of electricity, saw its net export level shrink from 76,963 MU in 9MFY25 to 67,180 MU in 9MFY26. This was the result of a 7.7 per cent decline in exports, coupled with a 3.5 per cent increase in imports. WR mainly exports to NR and SR. In 9MFY26, such exports were lower by 10.9 per cent and 4.7 per cent, respectively.

SR, a traditional net importer of electricity, showed lower dependency during 9MFY26 with a 3.3 per cent fall in imports, year-on-year. Exports from SR, on the other hand, showed a 21.9 per cent increase, rising from 13.966 MU in 9MFY25 to 17.026 MU in 9MFY26. The combined effect of these two factors saw SR becoming less of a net importer in 9MFY26, at 33.028 MU, as against 37,780 MU in 9MFY25.

As of December 31, 2025, India’s total interregional transfer capacity stood at 1,20,340 MW. The majority of this capacity was on the WR-NR corridor – 38,320 MW, or 32 per cent of the total. Transfer capacities on the ER-NR, ER-WR and WR-SR corridors stood at around 22,500 MW, each.

During 9MFY26, India’s total interregional transfer capacity grew by 1,600 MW. All of this was added on the ER-WR corridor. This enhancement was the result of the commissioning of an ISTS-TBCB scheme housed under “Powergrid ERWR Power Transmission Ltd” in June 2025. The project involved putting up a 400kV double-circuit line from Jeypore (Odisha, ER) to Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh, WR).

Also read: Interregional electricity exchange drops 7.3 per cent in H1FY26

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