Resurgent Power set to fully commission acquired interstate transmission scheme
- September 26, 2025
Resurgent Power Ventures is likely to soon fully commission an ISTS scheme housed under “NRSS XXXVI Transmission Ltd” that it had acquired from its original developer Essel Infraprojects Ltd.
According to latest reports issued by Central Electricity Authority (CEA), NRSS XXXVI is in advanced stage of completion.
The major unfinished element of this project is the 400kV double-circuit line from Koteshwar Pooling Station to Rishikesh, of about 77 ckm, in Uttarakhand. After battling with severe right-of-way constraints and forest-related clearances, particularly in the Rishikesh district, the transmission line is now moving towards completion.
As of August 2025, out of the 102 tower locations associated with the site, foundations were laid at 99, and tower erection had taken place on 82. However, stringing work was completed to the extent of around 42 per cent, hampered by delay in tree-cutting permission in forest areas. Two pending 400kV line bays at the Rishikesh substation were also awaiting final NOC from state transmission utility PTCUL.
The NRSS XXXVI scheme was originally awarded to Essel Infraprojects Ltd in August 2016 and was scheduled to fully commission by December 2019. However, the developer ran into financial difficulties, eventually stalling the project. Subsequently, PTC India Financial Services (PFS) was mandated to find a new developer, leading to the selection of Resurgent Power Ventures in around November 2021.
The original project comprised around 302 ckm of transmission lines, spread over Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Haryana. At the time of taking over, just 3 ckm of lines and two 400kV bays at Babai substation were completed. The 3-ckm line represented a LILO of the existing 400kV double-circuit Sikar-Neemrana line at the Babai substation.
After taking over the project, Resurgent Power, in October/November 2023, commissioned an important element — a 400kV double-circuit line from Babai (Rajasthan) to Bhiwani (Haryana), of about 222 ckm. Resurgent also commissioned two more 400kV line bays at Babai.
The ISTS scheme is officially termed as “System strengthening in Northern Region (NRSS XXXVI) along with LILO of Sikar-Neemrana 400kV D/C line at Babai (RVPNL).” Five existing substations are involved in this project – Sikar, Neemrana and Bhiwani (all owned by PGCIL), Babai (RVPNL) and Rishikesh (PTCUL).
The basic objective of the scheme is to improve power supply availability in Uttarakhand, and to obviate transmission constraints on the 400kV Roorkee-Muzzafarnagar line (Uttarakhand to Uttar Pradesh) during phases of lower hydropower generation.
Significance to Tata Power
Resurgent Power Ventures is a joint venture company in which Tata Power owns 26 per cent equity stake. For Tata Power, NRSS XXXVI assumes significance as it marked the company’s entry in the interstate transmission system development space under the TBCB framework, albeit with minority equity and through the acquisition route.
Subsequently, Tata Power went on to secure ISTS schemes by participating independently in the tariff-based competitive process. Today, Tata Power has three ISTS-TBCB schemes, all under construction, housed under: TP Bikaner III Neemrana II Transmission Ltd (formally acquired in December 2023), TP Paradeep Transmission Ltd and TP Gopalpur Transmission Ltd (both acquired in November 2024), covering Rajasthan and Odisha.
Tata Power also has an intrastate transmission system (InSTS) scheme won under the TBCB framework. This scheme, acquired in March 2024 and taking shape in Uttar Pradesh, falls under the project SPV “TP Jhalpura Khurja Transmission Ltd.”
Resurgent Power also acquired an ailing intrastate transmission scheme “South East UP Transmission Company Ltd” in Uttar Pradesh, in early 2022.
Together with Resurgent Power, Tata Power had a transmission line portfolio (operational and under-construction) of 3,428 ckm, as of June 30, 2025. This accounted for around 48 per cent of its total transmission line portfolio of 7,073 ckm. The remaining 3,645 ckm – all fully operational — comprised 1,317 ckm of the company’s Mumbai transmission business (100 per cent owned by Tata Power) and 2,328 ckm through Powerlinks Transmission, Tata Power’s 51:49 joint venture with PGCIL.
Resurgent Power Ventures Pte Ltd is a joint venture based out of Singapore in which Tata Power (through its wholly-owned Singapore-based subsidiary Tata Power International Pte Ltd) owns 26 per cent equity. The balance 74 per cent is held by ICICI Group and other reputed international investors, including Kuwait Investment Authority and Oman Investment Authority.
Also read: Resurgent Power completes acquisition of SE UP Power Transmission
Key to abbreviations: PGCIL = Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd; RVPNL = Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Ltd; PTCUL = Power Transmission Corporation of Uttarakhand Ltd.
Featured photograph is for representation only