CERC Allows SPPL To Continue 700 MW GNA For Navi Mumbai Data Center With Revised Timeline

In a key regulatory development, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) passed an order on February 14, 2026, in a case involving Support Properties Private Limited (SPPL) and its 700 MW General Network Access (GNA) for a proposed data center project in Navi Mumbai. The matter revolved around SPPL’s request to continue its previously granted GNA after it had formally relinquished the capacity.

SPPL had originally secured 700 MW of GNA in October 2024 for a large 1.4 GW data center facility planned in Navi Mumbai. However, in January 2025, the company sought to relinquish the allocated capacity. SPPL stated that its project required power earlier than the originally approved start date of January 2027, and due to changes in its timeline and planning, it decided to withdraw from the granted access.

Following the relinquishment request, the Central Transmission Utility of India Limited (CTUIL) proceeded to encash bank guarantees worth ₹21 crore submitted by SPPL. As per the applicable 2022 GNA Regulations, relinquishment of access triggers encashment of bank guarantees. CTUIL treated the matter as closed and also revised the transmission scheme timeline linked to the project from 2027 to 2028.

In April 2025, SPPL approached CERC again with a fresh plea. The company requested permission to withdraw its earlier relinquishment and continue with the original 700 MW GNA. SPPL argued that market conditions had changed once more and that the data center project would move ahead as planned. It further contended that no physical transmission infrastructure had been built specifically for its project, and therefore, CTUIL had not suffered any actual financial loss or created stranded capacity.

SPPL also requested that its previously submitted bank guarantees be considered valid for the continuation of GNA, instead of being required to furnish fresh guarantees. The company maintained that the encashment was not justified since no transmission assets had been constructed.

CTUIL opposed the request. It submitted that under the 2022 GNA Regulations, once a relinquishment is accepted, there is no provision for reversing it. According to CTUIL, encashment of bank guarantees is a statutory requirement and is automatically triggered upon relinquishment, regardless of whether the utility has incurred a financial loss. CTUIL also pointed out that the transmission planning process had already been adjusted following SPPL’s withdrawal.

After examining the submissions from both sides, CERC focused on whether SPPL could be allowed to continue with the original GNA despite the formal relinquishment. During the proceedings, SPPL expressed its willingness to accept the revised 2028 start date for the transmission system.

In its final order, CERC allowed SPPL to continue with the 700 MW GNA, subject to compliance with the GNA Regulations. The Commission directed SPPL to submit an amount equivalent to 10% of the total Connectivity Bank Guarantee as a condition for continuation. The ruling seeks to balance regulatory discipline with practical considerations for large infrastructure projects such as data centers, while ensuring adherence to the established framework.