The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, has invited suggestions and comments from stakeholders and the general public on Draft Amendment-II to the Manual on Transmission Planning Criteria, 2023. The move is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen India’s power transmission network and update planning standards in line with future grid requirements.
The original transmission planning manual came into effect on April 1, 2023, while Amendment I was introduced on January 8, 2025, to include additional power system planning procedures. According to the latest notification issued on May 19, 2026, the authority now plans to make several important technical revisions to accommodate new transmission technologies, revise conductor parameters, and include updated seasonal demand and renewable energy generation factors.
One of the biggest changes proposed in the draft amendment is the inclusion of 1150 kV ultra-high-voltage AC transmission systems into India’s transmission planning framework. The amendment introduces detailed operational and safety criteria specifically designed for the 1150 kV network. Under normal operating conditions, the voltage level for the system must remain within a maximum limit of 1200 kV and a minimum limit of 1090 kV.
The draft also proposes stronger reliability norms for critical infrastructure facilities such as metro rail systems, airports, railways, hospitals, data centers, refineries, and steel plants. These facilities will be required to maintain 100% redundancy in their grid connections and, wherever possible, receive electricity supply from two independent power sources to ensure uninterrupted operations.
The revised planning criteria further focus on improving grid stability and system security during contingencies and faults. Under the updated N-1 contingency criteria, the transmission system must continue operating safely within thermal limits even if a single 1150 kV transmission circuit suddenly goes out of service. In addition, the draft specifies that the grid should remain stable during permanent three-phase-to-ground faults occurring close to an 1150 kV bus, provided the fault is cleared within 100 milliseconds.
The amendment also revises transformation capacity standards for substations operating at the 1150 kV level. The maximum transformation capacity for load-serving and generation pooling substations has been proposed at 12,600 MVA. To support voltage regulation at ultra-high-voltage levels, the draft introduces standard bus reactor sizes of 220 MVAr and 300 MVAr.
In addition to transmission system changes, the annexures of the manual have been updated with revised seasonal load factors covering summer, winter, and monsoon periods. The draft also includes updated renewable energy capacity factors for solar and wind power projects to reflect evolving generation patterns in the country.
The CEA has requested all stakeholders to submit their feedback and suggestions by June 8, 2026. Comments can be sent electronically to the Chief Engineer of the Power System Planning & Appraisal Division-II.
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It is welcome move to strengthen transmission network with 1150 kV rating.
However the emphasis should be on using Indigenous equipment.