Powering the Green Dream: Why India May Need a Super Grid of Its Own

• India may require a China-style super grid to meet its 500 GW non-fossil target by 2030.

• China’s 60,000 km UHV network moves large power volumes efficiently over long distances.

• India’s HVDC network remains smaller but expanding rapidly.

• Major projects and Green Energy Corridors underway.

• Key challenges: transmission delays, land issues, storage gaps, DISCOM stress.

• India likely to adopt a hybrid, federal grid model.

  
  

As India pushes aggressively toward its clean energy goals, policymakers are beginning to confront a critical question: how will all that renewable power be moved across the country efficiently? Union Renewable Energy Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi recently suggested that India may ultimately require a transmission network comparable in scale to China’s “super grid” to fully realise its green ambitions.

The remark comes at a time when India is targeting 500 gigawatts (GW) of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. Electricity demand, meanwhile, continues to surge, driven by industrial expansion, rapid urban growth, rising digital consumption and demographic pressures. While renewable generation capacity has expanded quickly, the real test lies in transmitting that power from production hubs to demand centres.

Understanding China’s Super Grid

China’s ultra-high-voltage (UHV) transmission network is widely regarded as one of the most sophisticated long-distance power systems in the world. Designed to move massive volumes of electricity over thousands of kilometres with minimal losses, it connects energy-rich but sparsely populated western regions to the heavily industrialised eastern seaboard.

According to industry experts, China’s grid comprises over 60,000 kilometres of UHV lines capable of transmitting between 8 and 12 GW across distances of up to 3,000 kilometres. This integrated system effectively links a vast nation into a unified power network, enabling dispatchable electricity flows across provinces.

China began investing in UHV technology in the early 2000s, commissioning its first major project in 2009. Over the next two decades, expansion continued under successive five-year plans, backed by substantial public funding and centralised policy direction. State-owned giants such as the State Grid Corporation of China and China Southern Power Grid spearheaded this effort.

The next phase of growth is already underway. Reports from January indicate that China’s State Grid plans to invest approximately 4 trillion yuan (about $574 billion) between 2026 and 2030 to upgrade and expand the system further—a 40 per cent jump over the previous five-year cycle. The push is closely linked to Beijing’s objective of peaking carbon emissions before 2030.

Beyond physical infrastructure, China has also deployed advanced grid management technologies known as “Solvers.” These systems use real-time data and algorithms to optimise plant operations, power flows and asset allocation. Such tools are particularly vital for balancing intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar.

India’s Current Position

While India’s transmission system is extensive, it operates differently. The country has a synchronised national grid spanning nearly 494,000 circuit kilometres, with voltages reaching up to 765 kV alternating current. However, its high-voltage direct current (HVDC) footprint remains smaller. As of 2022, India’s HVDC network measured about 19,375 circuit kilometres, compared to China’s 40,000-plus kilometres by 2020.

The scale of renewable installations also differs significantly. China’s combined wind and solar capacity is estimated at around 1,840 GW, whereas India’s stands at approximately 250 GW. Even so, experts note that India has accelerated its transmission expansion in recent years.

Steps India Has Taken

Over the past decade, India has expanded renewable energy capacity while simultaneously upgrading grid infrastructure. More than 50 GW of renewable projects are currently under development. Green Energy Corridors are being built to facilitate renewable power evacuation, while battery energy storage systems and pumped hydro projects are gaining traction.

Policy initiatives such as PM-KUSUM, Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPOs), inter-state transmission system (ISTS) charge waivers and production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes are strengthening clean energy deployment and domestic manufacturing.

Several large-scale transmission projects reflect India’s growing ambition. The 6 GW Bhadla–Fatehpur HVDC link is expected to supply electricity sufficient for roughly 60 million homes. The Ladakh corridor combines 13 GW of HVDC capacity with 12,000 MWh of battery storage, representing a high level of integration. Meanwhile, the Khavda–South Olpad corridor employs Voltage Source Converter (VSC) HVDC technology, considered more flexible and conducive to grid stability.

Persistent Challenges

Despite notable progress, synchronising renewable capacity additions with transmission readiness remains a pressing concern. In some cases, generation projects become operational before grid connectivity is fully established, leading to curtailment and inefficiencies.

Other constraints include delays in land acquisition and forest clearances, financial stress among distribution companies, limited large-scale storage availability, coordination complexities between the Centre and states, and gaps in digital monitoring capabilities. Climate-related extremes are expected to add further strain to the system.

A Different Path to a Similar Goal

While India may aspire to a super grid of comparable scale, experts caution that its approach will differ fundamentally from China’s. Unlike China’s centralised model dominated by state-owned utilities, India’s power sector operates within a federal framework involving state entities, regulators and private developers.

Analysts believe India can adopt selected lessons from China—particularly in long-distance transmission and grid modernisation—while tailoring solutions to its institutional realities. Some estimate that building a comparable network could take 15 to 20 years.

Ultimately, India’s grid of the future may emerge as a hybrid model, blending public investment, private capital and global partnerships. The architecture may not mirror China’s, but the ambition is similar: to create a robust transmission backbone capable of supporting a rapidly expanding renewable energy ecosystem.

As the clean energy transition gathers pace, the question is no longer whether India needs stronger transmission infrastructure, but how quickly it can build one capable of powering its green transformation.