The Central Transmission Utility of India (CTUIL) has issued the draft procedure for seeking approval of the change in control of grid connectivity grantees before the commercial operational date of renewable energy projects.

Stakeholders must send their feedback on the draft procedure before December 17, 2025.

A connectivity grantee is the entity that has received the final grant of connectivity and has signed the connectivity agreement with CTUIL.

The procedure applies to all renewable energy generation stations (excluding hydro generating stations) or energy storage systems (excluding pumped storage projects). It also applies to new and existing grantees who have not commissioned projects for the full connectivity granted to them.

Entities that have been issued a final grant of connectivity and signed a connection agreement will be eligible to seek a change in control of connectivity.

If the change in control of the connectivity is made without prior approval, or if the application is made after the change has been effected, it will lead to the revocation of connectivity and the encashment of the bank guarantee.

To receive approval for a change in control of connectivity, the transferee entity must submit a formal undertaking confirming it will assume all regulatory obligations currently resting with the original connectivity grantee.

Additionally, the transferor and the transferee must certify that the proposed change in control does not amount to trading or ‘benami’ (anonymous) transfer of connectivity rights.

The transferor must submit the proposed change in control structure, as well as the identities and credentials of the new entities that will assume control.

The transferor and the transferee must have no outstanding defaults or violations under the general network access (GNA) regulations.

CTUIL will only consider a change in control of the connectivity grantee if the connectivity grantee is admitted to insolvency or liquidation proceedings, or due to governmental or statutory transfers, or to step-in rights of the lender arising from the connectivity grantee’s default.

It may also consider applications for change-in-control if a connectivity grantee is a consortium/joint venture and there is a change in the consortium/joint venture’s shareholding.

Applications arising from the exit of a foreign company from India and a change in a company’s shareholding can also be considered by CTUIL.

The applications must be submitted at least 90 days before the proposed change.

The applicants will be responsible for the authenticity, accuracy, and completeness of all information submitted to CTUIL.

They will indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the CTUIL and its officers against all losses, liabilities, damages, penalties, costs, and expenses arising directly or indirectly from this transfer of connectivity.

If the change in control of connectivity is granted based on false, misleading, or incomplete disclosure, CTUIL will revoke the approval and cancel the connectivity granted to the applicant. It will encash the bank guarantee furnished under the GNA regulations and initiate appropriate action, including blacklisting and reporting the matter to the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission.

In another bid to reduce stalling of projects due to connectivity issues, the Grid Controller of India in October proposed to mandate an adequate margin in the transmission system to enable the scheduling of power projects up to their full T-GNA capacity.

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