CEA Seeks Data from Indian Manufacturers on Grid Forming Inverter Capacity

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), which works under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, has taken an important step to support the country’s growing renewable energy sector. In a letter issued on February 3, 2026, the Energy Storage System Division of the CEA reached out to all manufacturers of Grid Forming (GFM) inverters operating in India. The authority highlighted the growing importance of these inverters as India increases its dependence on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.

With the rapid addition of renewable capacity, maintaining grid stability has become a major challenge. GFM inverters are considered critical because they help provide grid support functions that are traditionally handled by conventional power plants. As renewable energy penetration rises, these inverters play a key role in ensuring a stable and reliable electricity supply across the country.

The main purpose of the CEA’s communication is to assess India’s current domestic manufacturing capacity for GFM inverters. According to the authority, having a clear understanding of local production capabilities is essential for future power sector planning. The collected data will help the government design suitable policy, regulatory, and technical measures to support the smooth integration of renewable energy into the national grid.

To gather this information in an organised manner, the CEA has asked all domestic manufacturers to submit details in a prescribed format. Companies are required to share basic information such as the company name, address, contact details, the name of the head of the organisation, and details of a nodal person for further coordination with the authority.

In addition to general company information, the CEA is also seeking detailed technical and cost-related data. Manufacturers have been asked to provide their total manufacturing capacity for GFM inverters in India. The authority has also requested a tentative comparison of costs between Grid Forming and Grid Following (GFL) inverters, which are more commonly used at present.

The reporting format includes cost details for different inverter capacities, including 10 kW, 100 kW, 1 MW, and the maximum size manufactured by each company. This information is to be provided separately for both central inverters and string inverters. The aim is to understand cost trends across different system sizes and technologies.

The letter has been signed by Dr. Veepin Kumar, Deputy Director of the Energy Storage System Division at the CEA. All manufacturers have been asked to submit the required details by February 10, 2026, via email at essd.cea@gov.in

. The initiative has received approval from the Chairperson of the CEA and is being widely circulated, including through the official CEA website, to ensure broad participation from the industry.