Renewable Power Not Used Fully Now, Better Transmission Lines Will Help, Says MNRE Official

Renewable Power Not Used Fully Now, Better Transmission Lines Will Help, Says MNRE Official

January 24, 2026

India’s renewable energy output is being held back not by lack of generation but because power lines and grid connections are not ready fast enough, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has said, pointing to improvements in transmission infrastructure that are expected to cut wastage of clean power. MNRE Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi said recent upgrades and upcoming lines will allow more solar and wind electricity to reach the grid without being curtailed.

Sarangi told The Indian Express that in states such as Rajasthan, renewable energy plants have sometimes had to reduce generation because the grid could not absorb all the electricity being produced. This mismatch is largely due to renewable projects being completed quickly—often within one to two years—while transmission lines historically take three to five years to build.

He explained that around 4 gigawatts (GW) of renewable capacity previously could not be evacuated due to lack of grid connections. The recent commissioning of the Khetri-Narela transmission line in December has already allowed part of that capacity to be put to use, and the Fatehgarh transmission line in Rajasthan is expected to become operational within a month, clearing the backlog and significantly reducing curtailment of wind and solar power in the region.

According to Sarangi, once these key transmission corridors are ready, the ministry does not foresee further curtailment issues in Rajasthan, as the new lines will ensure renewable electricity can flow to demand centres without being restricted by network bottlenecks. The comments highlight ongoing efforts to improve India’s power infrastructure in line with the rapid growth of renewable capacity nationwide.