The pace of transmission line addition shot up in December 2025, lending respectability to the overall performance during the first nine months (9M: April to December) of FY26.
Latest statistics released by Central Electricity Authority (CEA), reveal that 1,436 ckm of transmission lines (of 220kV or higher) were added in December 2025, making it the best month to this effect in this fiscal year so far. During the first eight months of FY26 (April to November), transmission line addition had averaged at a paltry 456 ckm per month.
The achievement in December 2025 helped cumulative line addition in the first three quarters of FY25 (9M: April to December) to touch 5,077 ckm. However, this was still less than half the planned addition of 10,696 ckm planned for addition in 9MFY26, and around 15 per cent lower than the 5,960 ckm added in 9MFY25.
In December 2025, a total of 708 ckm of lines were added at the 765kV voltage level. This too was the highest monthly addition in this voltage class during FY26 so far.
Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) was responsible for entire quantum of 765kV lines added during December 2025. The Central PSU commissioned two important lines – Khetri-Narela (Rajasthan; 340 ckm) and Lakadia PS-Ahmedabad (Gujarat; 368 ckm) – during the month. Both were part of respective ISTS-TBCB projects.
The private sector also contributed to growth in ISTS transmission lines, albeit at 400kV level. Entities like Adani Energy Solutions Ltd, Tata Power, Apraava Energy and Resonia, together commissioned 319 ckm of 400kV lines on the ISTS network.
A total of 1,027 ckm of lines were added to the ISTS network during December 2025 with the remaining 409 ckm on the intrastate grid.
Of the cumulative addition of transmission lines during 9MFY26, at 5,077 ckm, around 39 per cent (or 1,964 ckm) was on the ISTS side with the majority 61 per cent (or 3113 ckm) being on the intrastate grids.
Cumulative status
As of December 31, 2025, India’s total transmission line network (of 220kV or above) stood at 4,99,451 ckm, of which 43 per cent was on the ISTS network.
As of given date, the country’s total interregional transfer capacity was 1,20,340 MW, with 1,600 MW added in 9MFY26. This addition was entirely on the Eastern Region (ER) – Western Region (WR) corridor and came about in June 2025 when PGCIL commissioned an interregional corridor – the 400kV double-circuit Jeypore (West Bengal, ER) to Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh, WR) line.
Target for FY26
For the entire year FY26, the total transmission line addition target has been set at 15,382 ckm. With only 5,077 ckm commissioned in the first nine months, the fourth quarter (Q4: January to March) alone should see the addition of as much as 10,305 ckm. Prima facie, this seems unlikely. It is therefore likely, as it has happened in the past, that the transmission line addition target for FY26 would be downwardly revised during Q4FY26. It may be recalled that during FY25, the original target of 16,667 ckm was revised to 15,253 ckm. The actual addition in FY25 was however much lower at 8,830 ckm.
Featured photograph is for representation only