Jaipur: Lack of adequate transmission network to supply renewable energy to load centres of other states from Rajasthan has resulted in the curtailment of 25% capacity during peak hours (from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm). Seeking urgent intervention, the state energy department, in a letter to the Union ministry of power, said the congestion in the existing inter-state transmission infrastructure is severely impacting the financial viability of solar and wind power projects and hampering the progress of the sector in the state. Currently, the transmission capacity can carry 14,000 MW, while about 19,500 MW of projects have been commissioned. “Persistent delays in the commissioning of inter-state transmission lines, linking Rajasthan to other load centres, have led to significant capacity constraints, resulting in regular and rising curtailment of renewable energy power,” said secretary (energy department) to the govt. The curtailment may further increase as not only more solar projects are getting commissioned, but also some of the critical transmission elements are facing delays of over one to two years. Looking at the urgency, the energy department urged Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) and Central Transmission Utility of India Ltd (CTUIL) to expedite the completion of the critical transmission infrastructure projects. “Timely resolution of these transmission bottlenecks is critical to prevent further losses for renewable energy developers, who are already facing significant curtailments despite having commissioned their projects,” it said. DD Agarwal, director of Samta Power, an energy sector NGO, said, “The inefficiencies could undermine project viability and create uncertainty for future investments in Rajasthan’s renewable energy sector.”
