PGCIL commissions Bidar interstate solar energy evacuation scheme in Karnataka
- October 12, 2026
Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) in a brief regulatory filing said that it has fully commissioned an interstate transmission system (ISTS) scheme “Transmission scheme for solar energy zone in Bidar (2500 MW), Karnataka”, which was awarded under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) mechanism.
The filing added that the scheme was completely commissioned with effect from October 5, 2026 for which Notification for Commercial Operation (DOCO) dated October 5, 2026 was received on October 8, 2026. [DOCO = Date of commercial operation]
The scheme was housed under “Powergrid Bidar Transmission Ltd,” a TBCB subsidiary of PGCIL that has been merged with Powergrid Khavda II-C Transmission Ltd,” another TBCB subsidiary, with effect from March 1, 2026. [Learn more about PGCIL’s plans of restructuring its TBCB subsidiaries here.]
Project background
The Bidar project under discussion aimed at creation transmission infrastructure for evacuation of 2,500 MW of power generation from the Bidar solar energy zone in Karnataka.
The Bidar scheme was awarded to PGCIL under the TBCB framework with the Central PSU quoting the winning tariff of Rs.2368.09 million per year, getting the better of just two other contenders –Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL) and Resonia Ltd.
PGCIL acquired the project SPV, then known as “Bidar Transmission Ltd,” on February 9, 2024, and renamed it to “Powergrid Bidar Transmission Ltd” on May 21, 2024.
The project SPV Bidar Transmission Ltd was incorporated on June 8, 2022, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of bid process coordinator REC Power Development & Consultancy Ltd (RECPDCL).
By original timelines, the project, with an estimated outlay of Rs.1,368 crore, was to commission in 24 months from the SPV acquisition date, which works out to February 2026.
Project elements
Straddling Karnataka and neighbouring Telangana, the project includes the new 765/400/220kV Bidar Pooling Station (PS) with transformation capacity of 7,000 MVA coming from 765/400kV, 3×1500 MVA and 400/220kV, 2×500 MVA interconnecting transformers, in Karnataka. The Bidar PS has been connected to PGCIL’s existing 765/400kV Maheshwaram substation in Telangana, via a 765kV, double-circuit line spanning 479 ckm.
According to information available, the transmission line had encountered right-of-way (RoW)-related concerns, mainly in the Ranga Reddy district in Telangana. The Bidar PS also faced land acquisition delays, it is learnt. This set back the original commissioning schedule by around eight months.
More completions ahead
As discussed in an exclusive story by tndindia.com dated October 5, 2026, the third quarter (Q3: October to December) of FY27 is expected to see a flurry of ISTS-TBCB schemes getting fully commissioned. On its part, PGCIL is expected to commission seven such schemes, including the Bidar scheme discussed in this story. Private developers like Adani Energy Solutions Ltd, IndiGrid, Apraava Energy, Resonia, MEIL and Torrent Power are expected to together commission 12 ISTS-TBCB schemes, involving nearly 3,900 ckm of lines and over 30 GVA of transformation capacity.
PGCIL’s capitalization
Given that PGCIL expected to commission seven ISTS-TBCB schemes in Q3FY27, the Central PSU can look forward to capitalizing around Rs.14,500 crore – the aggregate project cost — from such schemes alone. For the whole of FY27, PGCIL has estimated capitalization of Rs.30,000 crore as against which the achievement up to June 30, 2026 (end of Q1FY27) was Rs.5,277 crore. It may be mentioned that in Q2FY27 (July to September 2026), there were no ISTS-TBCB schemes that PGCIL fully commissioned, as per information available with tndindia.com. It may be noted that capitalization could also be achieved through the full commissioning of RTM-based projects.
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