Bengaluru: Karnataka's push to strengthen its renewable energy evacuation network has encountered significant delays, with the state government missing the March 31 deadline to complete phase II of the Green Energy Corridor project. An extension to July 31 next year has now been sought.
Project Overview
Sanctioned by the central government to support states with high renewable energy generation, the project aims to build dedicated transmission infrastructure linking clean energy sources such as wind and solar to the national grid. Karnataka, among the leading renewable energy producers, was selected for this initiative.
Land Acquisition Hurdles
However, land acquisition hurdles, particularly in securing right of way for transmission lines and sub-stations, have slowed execution. Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (KPTCL), the executing agency, has completed only about 50% of the work so far.
Phase II Details
The phase II project, launched in 2022, involves constructing 938 circuit km of transmission lines and substations with a capacity of 1,225 MVA to evacuate around 2,640 MW of renewable energy. In a letter dated April 16 to the ministry of new and renewable energy secretary, additional chief secretary (energy) Gaurav Gupta cited multiple hurdles and sought more time. He said that despite diligent efforts, unforeseeable challenges have impeded progress of the proposed projects.
Specific Delays
Besides the bottleneck of right of way acquisition, he pointed to delays in specific components, including the loop in loop out of the second circuit of the existing 220 kV Mahalingapura-Kudachi DC line at the 220 kV Athani sub-station, which was awarded only in January 2026 after a fresh survey due to anticipated right of way issues.
Progress So Far
Data shared by the ministry shows partial progress on the ground. As of March 31, some 498 circuit km of transmission lines have been completed and substations of 600 MVA capacity have been commissioned. KPTCL has already awarded all 10 packages, the ministry said. The estimated cost for the Karnataka project is Rs 1,036 crore, and the central grant at 33% of the project cost is about Rs 342 crore, of which Rs 108 crore have been disbursed.
Overall Investment
The Green Energy Corridor programme envisages an overall investment of Rs 11,369 crore. States are expected to fund 67% of the costs through internal resources or borrowings.
