The Government of India has undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the impact of increasing renewable energy (RE) penetration on grid stability, introducing a wide range of measures to ensure reliability, flexibility, and resilience of the national power system.
With the rapid expansion of solar and wind capacity—both inherently intermittent—the government is focusing on strengthening transmission infrastructure, enhancing forecasting capabilities, reforming grid operations, and integrating energy storage systems to maintain stable grid performance.
To improve real-time grid management, Regional Energy Management Centres (REMCs) have been established for renewable forecasting and monitoring. In parallel, advanced mechanisms such as Automatic Generation Control (AGC) and ancillary services including Secondary and Tertiary Reserves are being implemented to support frequency regulation and system balancing.
The deployment of grid support technologies like STATCOMs and synchronous condensers is also being scaled up to address voltage fluctuations and enhance dynamic response. Additionally, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems have been sanctioned in 455 towns under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), enabling real-time monitoring of distribution networks.
On the forecasting front, advanced weather prediction systems developed by the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation are being used to improve renewable energy generation forecasts and demand planning.
Regulatory frameworks have also been strengthened. The Central Electricity Authority’s technical standards mandate compliance by renewable energy plants to ensure secure grid connectivity, with verification carried out by the Central Transmission Utility and Grid-India. The Indian Electricity Grid Code further requires RE generators to support frequency control during contingencies.
To manage variability, the government is promoting hybrid renewable energy projects and energy storage systems such as Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs). Thermal power plants are also being made more flexible to balance fluctuations in renewable generation.
In parallel, significant efforts are underway to expand transmission infrastructure. The National Electricity Plan (2024) outlines transmission requirements up to 2032, aligned with the goal of integrating 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. A more extensive roadmap released by the Central Electricity Authority in March 2026 targets integration of over 900 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2035-36.
Under the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) scheme implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, substantial progress has been made in building transmission infrastructure across key renewable-rich states. So far, transmission lines spanning 9,856 circuit kilometers and substations with 24,300 MVA capacity have been commissioned, enabling evacuation of 24 GW of renewable energy.
To support large-scale renewable integration, transmission systems for approximately 260 GW capacity under the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) have already been initiated. Of this, 54 GW has been commissioned, 173 GW is under construction, and 33 GW projects are under bidding.
The government is also accelerating energy storage deployment. Two Viability Gap Funding (VGF) schemes are being implemented to support around 43.8 GWh of BESS capacity. Regulatory reforms by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission now allow differentiated access for solar and non-solar hours, promoting hybrid projects that combine solar, wind, and storage for reliable power supply.
Further initiatives include planning transmission systems for up to 100 GW of pumped storage capacity by 2035-36, providing infrastructure support for hydro PSPs, extending ISTS charge waivers for storage projects, and rolling out a ₹18,100 crore Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to boost domestic manufacturing of advanced battery technologies.
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