Adani Energy wins Rs 4,700-crore Maharashtra transmission project

Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL) has won a transmission project involving an estimated investment of Rs 4,700 crore in Maharashtra to evacuate renewable power and support the state's growing pumped-storage ecosystem. The project, named the Network Expansion Scheme in Western Region to Cater to Pumped Storage Potential near Satara (up to 4,500 MW) — Part A, was awarded through tariff-based competitive bidding, with AESL emerging as the lowest bidder. The transmission system will facilitate evacuation of renewable electricity generated in Karnataka to major consumption centres in Maharashtra, while also supporting pumped-storage projects in Satara, Pune and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Completion in 36 months

The project will be housed under special purpose vehicle Satara Power Transmission Ltd and is scheduled to be completed within 36 months.

It will add 562 circuit kilometres of transmission lines and 9,000 MVA of transformation capacity to AESL's portfolio. Following the addition, the company's cumulative transmission network will increase to 29,739 circuit km, while its transformation capacity will reach 1,43,425 MVA.

The project includes construction of a 765/400 kV substation at Satara and a 765 kV double-circuit transmission line connecting Kolhapur and Satara. It will also involve augmentation of the Kolhapur pooling station and development of associated transmission infrastructure.

The latest award takes AESL's transmission order book to around Rs 85,000 crore.

Supporting pumped storage

Pumped-storage projects are increasingly being developed to address the variability of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. They can store surplus electricity when generation is high and supply it back to the grid when demand rises or renewable generation falls.

AESL CEO Kandarp Patel said pumped storage was becoming an important part of India's clean-energy transition by providing the flexibility and reliability required to integrate large quantities of renewable electricity into the grid.

He said the Satara project would provide transmission infrastructure for renewable-energy evacuation and storage deployment while strengthening power flows between southern and western India.

Grid expansion gathers pace

India's rapid addition of renewable-energy capacity has increased the requirement for transmission infrastructure capable of moving electricity from renewable-rich regions to major industrial and urban consumption centres.

The country has set a target of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil-fuel electricity capacity by 2030, requiring substantial investment not only in generation but also in transmission networks and energy-storage systems.

Shares of Adani Energy Solutions gained following the announcement. The stock was trading around Rs 1,609.30, up about 1.2 per cent from its previous close of Rs 1,590 at the time of the initial report.