Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID) has won REC Power Development and Consultancy’s (RECPDCL) auction to develop an interstate transmission system (ISTS) to evacuate 3.7 GW of power from pumped storage projects (PSP) in Sonbhadra district, in Uttar Pradesh, under a build, own, operate, and transfer model.

The tender was floated in April 2025.

The project is expected to be completed within 30 months.

Apart from POWEGRID, Resonia, Adani Energy Solutions, KCC Buildcon, Enerica Infra 1, Tata Power Company, HG Infra Engineering, and Apraava Energy also qualified for the technical bid.

RECPDCL received a connectivity application to evacuate a cumulative capacity of 3.7 GW from Greenko and Avaada. The project aims to establish transmission infrastructure to evacuate energy from PSP projects.

The ISTS work entails designing, engineering, operation, construction, erection, testing, and commissioning of the project.

It covers establishing the 765/400 kV Robertsganj pooling station, providing loop-in and loop-out facilities for the existing 765 kV Varanasi-Gaya transmission lines, constructing a new 765 kV double-circuit transmission line to Prayagraj, installing switchable line and bus reactors, and developing future provision infrastructure.

The 765/400 kV 1×1,500 MVA interconnecting transformer at Robertsganj pooling station must be completed by December 2030.

The project also entails the operation and maintenance of the project.

POWERGRID must conduct a survey, formulate a detailed project report, arrange financing, and oversee the project’s management. It must also secure all consents, clearances, and permits for the projects.

The company must use modules listed in the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers List-II. The ISTS project must adhere to public procurement preferences under the ‘Make in India’ guidelines.

In February 2025, POWERGRID bagged two transmission projects from PFC Consulting to evacuate 15.5 GW of power from renewable energy zones in Karnataka and Rajasthan.

In August 2025, POWERGRID received a letter of intent from RECPDCL to establish an ISTS in Karnataka to integrate renewable energy generation.