The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), under the Ministry of Power, has issued an important advisory asking transmission utilities across the country to adopt advanced technologies and improved tower designs while laying power transmission lines through forest areas. The move is aimed at reducing the Right-of-Way (RoW) required for transmission corridors, thereby minimizing the diversion of forest land and reducing the environmental impact of new power infrastructure.
The advisory is part of the government’s broader efforts to balance the rapid expansion of the power transmission network with environmental conservation. As India continues to strengthen its electricity grid and integrate more renewable energy projects, transmission lines often need to pass through forest regions. Reducing the width of transmission corridors can help preserve forest cover while ensuring reliable electricity transmission.
The initiative follows a series of regulatory developments undertaken over the past few years. In 2022, the Central Electricity Authority introduced the Technical Standards for Construction of Electrical Plants and Electric Lines Regulations, which laid the foundation for adopting modern technologies in transmission infrastructure. Building on these standards, the CEA released a detailed technical report on September 24, 2024, examining various methods to reduce Right-of-Way requirements for transmission lines.
The report recommended the use of advanced conductor technologies, including High-Temperature Low-Sag (HTLS) conductors installed on conventional lattice towers. It also suggested deploying monopole towers combined with either Aluminium Conductor Steel Reinforced (ACSR) or HTLS conductors. According to the assessment, these technologies can significantly reduce the land required for transmission corridors without compromising safety, electrical clearances, or transmission capacity.
To formally incorporate these recommendations into the regulatory framework, the Ministry of Power notified the Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Construction of Electrical Plants and Electric Lines) Amendment Regulations, 2025, through a Gazette notification issued on October 9, 2025. The amendment revised Schedule VII of the regulations and specified reduced Right-of-Way requirements for several modern conductor and tower configurations.
The updated standards cover advanced technologies such as Carbon Fiber Composite Core (CFCC), Aluminium Conductor Steel Supported (ACSS), GAP conductors, and HTLS conductors used with suitable tower configurations. These technologies are designed to improve transmission efficiency while requiring narrower transmission corridors compared to conventional systems.
Further strengthening the implementation of these standards, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued guidelines directing power transmission stakeholders to comply with the updated Right-of-Way specifications. The ministry highlighted that adopting the revised technical standards would help reduce forest land diversion and lower the environmental footprint of transmission projects. It encouraged utilities to integrate these technologies into future projects wherever feasible.
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