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					</table><p>The <a href="https://mphc.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Madhya Pradesh High Court</a> has recently ruled that prior consent from private landowners is not required for laying power transmission lines.</p>
<p>Rejecting two petitions filed by landowners challenging Madhya Pradesh Power Transmission Company’s (MPPTCL) second circuit stringing of the 132 kV DCSS Mandideep-Nahar transmission line, the court upheld the transmission licensee’s powers under Section 164 of the Electricity Act, 2003.</p>
<p>A dispute had arisen over the alignment of the 132 kV line and the route it should take through the landowners’ properties.</p>
<p>The landowners objected to MPPTCL’s approved route because the line would pass over the frontage and parking areas of their industrial premises, with one of the towers located on one petitioner’s land. They wanted another alignment that bypassed their lands.</p>
<p>MPPTCL contended that it had considered the alternative route but that was rejected because one tower would have been only 3.5 meters from an existing gas pipeline, which was a safety risk.</p>
<p>It also rejected another proposed route because it would pass through residential areas.</p>
<p>In its judgment, the High Court accepted MPPTCL’s position that the approved route was the least intrusive technically feasible alignment.</p>
<p>It said transmission line routing was an engineering and safety decision that courts should not second guess unless it was arbitrary or illegal.</p>
<p>The petitions raised questions over the powers granted to transmission licensees under Section 164 of the Electricity Act. They also argued that Section 164 could not be invoked for a line primarily serving a private industrial consumer.</p>
<p>The court cited a Supreme Court ruling which said a transmission line does not lose its statutory and public character merely because it initially serves one industrial consumer.</p>
<p>Under the Works of Licensees Rules, a licensee ordinarily requires the prior consent of the owner to undertake works on private property. However, the court noted that Rule 3(4) excludes licensees exercising powers conferred under Section 164 from this requirement.</p>
<p>The petitioners also proposed laying the transmission line underground within their premises. MPPTCL rejected the proposal as unsafe and technically unfeasible.</p>
<p>The High Court’s ruling is significant in the context of several power transmission projects being delayed by disputes over right-of-way, land acquisition, and compensation. The delays have led to a long list of renewable energy projects awaiting transmission connectivity.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/clean-energy-expansion-spurs-transmission-manufacturing-demand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Highlighting</a> the gravity of the problem, R.K. Tyagi, Director General at Power Foundation of India, said at the Mercom India Renewables Summit 2026, “A 1,000 km transmission line may require around 3,000 towers. Even if 2,999 towers are ready, one unresolved tower location can block the entire line. In such cases, investment worth ₹40 billion ($423.37 million) to ₹50 billion ($529.21 million) can remain stuck because one tower cannot be constructed.”</p>
<p>Earlier this year, the Gujarat government <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/gujarat-hikes-compensation-for-land-acquired-for-power-transmission-towers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a new compensation policy under which farmers will be paid twice the prevailing market value of their land acquired for erecting power transmission towers and power lines. Gujarat is among the states witnessing high solar and wind generation curtailment due to paucity of transmission infrastructure.</p>


Madhya Pradesh High Court Rules Landowner Consent Not Needed for Power Lines


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					</table><p><a href="https://www.pfcclindia.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PFC Consulting</a>, a wholly owned subsidiary of Power Finance Corporation(<a href="https://www.pfcindia.com/Home">PFC</a>), has issued a Request for Proposal (RfP) to select a transmission service provider to establish an Inter-state Transmission System (ISTS) at Kurnool-III PS, Andhra Pradesh, for the integration of an additional 4.5 GW of renewable energy.</p>
<p>The last date to submit the bids is November 29, 2024. Bids will open on the same day.</p>
<p>Bidders must pay a non-refundable deposit of ₹500,000 (~ $7,000).</p>
<p>The scope of work includes establishing, operating, and maintaining the project on a build, own, operate, and transfer. It also consists of the completion of all the activities for the project, including survey, detailed project report formulation, arranging finance, project management, consents, clearances, permits, land compensation, design, engineering, equipment, material, construction, erection, testing, and commissioning.</p>
<p>The actual location of the substations, switching stations, HVDC terminals, or inverter stations will not lie beyond a 3 km radius of the area proposed in the survey report.</p>
<p>Bidders must have developed projects in the infrastructure sector in the last five years with aggregate capital expenditure of not less than ₹16.40 billion (~$196 million). The capital expenditure of each project must not have been less than ₹3.28 billion (~$39.20 million).</p>
<p>They should have received aggregate payments of not less than ₹16.40 billion (~$196 million) for the construction works fully completed during the last five financial years. The payment received from each project must not have been less than ₹3.28 billion (~$39.20 million).</p>
<p>The net worth of the bidders should be at least ₹6.56 billion (~$78.40 million) in the previous three financial years.</p>
<p>In September, PFC invited bids to <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/pfc-invites-bids-for-energy-from-gujarat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">evacuate</a> 3 GW of renewable energy from Gujarat.</p>
<p>It also <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/pfc-consulting-ists-connected-solar-projects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids to commission 1,250 MW ISTS- connected solar projects under the program for flexibility in generating and scheduling thermal-hydro power stations through bundling with renewable energy and storage.</p>


PFC Tenders Transmission System for 4.5 GW Renewable Energy Evacuation


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					</table><p>Apraava Energy (<a href="https://aeplepc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AEPL</a>) has bagged a transmission project to evacuate 5.5 GW of power from renewable energy zones in Rajasthan.</p>
<p>The company emerged as the Transmission Service Provider through the tariff-based competitive bidding process conducted by bid process coordinator REC Power Development and Consultancy (<a href="https://www.recpdcl.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RECPDCL</a>), a wholly owned subsidiary of REC Limited.</p>
<p>The project involves the construction of 765/400 kV, 4&#215;1500 MVA and 400/220 kV, 5&#215;500 MVA Pooling Station at Fategarh IV-A, an 184.56 km 400 kV line, and associated works.</p>
<p>The development of the transmission project is on a Build, Own, Operate &amp; Transfer basis. The project is set to facilitate the evacuation of power from the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Zone IV-A, covering the Jaisalmer and Barmer Complex.</p>
<p>Apraava was handed over the project-specific special-purpose vehicle by RECPDCL.</p>
<p>The tender was floated in January this year.</p>
<p>The projects are targeted for implementation in two years, adding to the region&#8217;s power transmission network.</p>
<p>The entire shareholding of Rajasthan IV-A Power Transmission, comprising 50,000 equity shares held by RECPDCL, was recently transferred at par value along with all its assets and liabilities.</p>
<p>The design, construction, and testing of all equipment, facilities, components, and systems related to the project must comply with the Transmission Service Agreement and any relevant rules, regulations, orders, and guidelines issued by the central government.</p>
<p>In May, Apraava was among the winners of NTPC&#8217;s auction to set up 1,500 MW of interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected solar power projects (Tranche III) across India. Apraava <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/ntpc-tranche-iii-solar-auction" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quoted</a> the lowest tariff of ₹2.68 (~$0.0322)/kWh to win 50 MW.</p>
<p>Earlier, Apraava <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/solarpack-apraava-avaada-renew-ntpcs-solar-auction" target="_blank" rel="noopener">won</a> 300 MW capacity at a tariff of ₹2.65 (~$0.0318)/ kWh in NTPC&#8217;s auction to set up 1,500 MW of ISTS-connected solar power projects (Tranche-I).</p>
<p>RECPDCL recently <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/recpdcl-invites-bids-renewable-energy-in-rajasthan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids to select a service provider to establish an inter-state transmission system to evacuate 3.5 GW of renewable energy from Rajasthan&#8217;s renewable energy zones REZ IV. The last date to submit the bids is October 4, 2024.</p>


Apraava Bags Project to Evacuate 5.5 GW Renewable Energy in Rajasthan


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					</table><p>Adani Energy Solutions (<a href="https://www.adanienergysolutions.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AESL</a>) has commissioned the 765 kV Warora-Kurnool Transmission line (WKTL), spanning 1,756 circuit kilometers across Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The line is expected to ensure a seamless flow of 4,500 MW of power between the western and southern regions and support the large-scale integration of generation from renewable energy sources.</p>
<p>The project has installed mid-stream towers of 102m height on the Krishna River.</p>
<p>In 2015, WKTL was incorporated to establish an additional inter-regional link for the import of power into the southern region.</p>
<p>The 765 kV tariff-based competitive bidding was awarded to Essel InfraProjects in early 2016 and subsequently acquired by AESL in 2021.</p>
<p>Part of the Adani Group, AESL is present across 14 states with a cumulative transmission network of 20,000 ckm and 53,000 MVA transformation capacity.</p>
<p>The company said the erection of towers and the stringing of lines crossing six major power lines, railway-electrified tracks, and national highways was challenging. A total of 103,000 metric tons of steel was used for erecting the towers.</p>
<p>In August, Adani Energy <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/adani-acquire-transmission-project-gujarat">signed</a> an agreement to acquire KPS1 transmission at Khavda in Gujarat. The company will buy 100% equity shares of KPS 1 at a face value of ₹10 (~$0.12) per share.</p>
<p>In the same month, the company <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/adani-attains-financial-transmission-link-in-mumbai" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secured</a> financial closure for its $1 billion Green High Voltage Direct Current link project in Mumbai. It said the link would help enhance grid stability in Mumbai, where the electricity demand is projected to touch 5,000 MW by 2025, compared to the current peak demand of 4,000 MW.</p>
<p>Last December, Adani Transmission <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/daily-news-wrap-up-adani-bags" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received</a> the letter of intent to acquire Karur Transmission, which involved establishing a 2×500 MVA, 400/230 kV pooling station line in line out of both circuits of the Pugalur—Pugalur 400 kV DC line. The line will help evacuate renewable energy from the Karur-Tiruppur region.</p>


Adani Commissions 1,756 km-Long 765 kV Warora-Kurnool Transmission Line

<p>The Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) has commissioned the 400 kV DC Lucknow-Kanpur transmission line with associated bays in Lucknow.</p>
<p>The Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, dedicated the transmission line to the nation, stated a <a href="http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=165785" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">government release</a>. The transmission line has been constructed under the Northern Region Strengthening Program-XXXII and is expected to ensure continuous power supply to densely populated areas of Lucknow, Panki, Unnao and Kanpur.</p>
<p>The government release also stated, “The transmission line will also facilitate import of additional power to Uttar Pradesh from power surplus Eastern Region and North Eastern Region.”</p>
<p>The transmission line will pave way for imported power from solar-rich states like Rajasthan. Mercom <a href="https://mercomindia.com/seci-tenders-750-mw-solar-bhadla-solar-park-rajasthan-benchmark-tariff-rs-3-93-0-0590kwh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">previously reported</a> that the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) tendered 750 MW of solar at the Bhadla Solar Park (Rajasthan) to supply cheaper solar power to Uttar Pradesh.</p>


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