Power Grid Approves ₹173 Crore Investment for Kerala Infrastructure
NEW DELHI – Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), the state-owned Maharatna PSU, has greenlit an investment of ₹173.14 crore to upgrade its high-voltage transmission capabilities in Kerala. The approval was granted by the company’s Committee of Directors on Investment on Projects during their meeting held on January 30, 2026.
The project is part of a larger national push to modernize India's aging grid and accommodate the influx of renewable energy, particularly in regions like Kerala where demand has seen a steady rise.
Project Scope: Boosting the Thrissur Hub
The investment is specifically earmarked for the augmentation of the Thrissur VSC HVDC Station, a critical node in the Southern Region's power corridor.
- Primary Work: Augmentation of a 500 MVA, 400/220 kV Inter-Connecting Transformer (ICT – 3rd).
- Technological Context: The station uses Voltage Source Converter (VSC) based High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology. This "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" project was the first of its kind in India when launched, allowing for high-efficiency power transfer with a smaller land footprint compared to conventional systems.
Objective: The third ICT is designed to provide N-1 contingency, ensuring that the grid remains stable even if one of the other transformers fails or is taken offline for maintenance.
Timeline and Implementation
The project will be executed under the Regulated Tariff Mechanism (RTM) route, as cleared by the National Committee on Transmission (NCT).
- Approval Date: January 30, 2026
- Scheduled Commissioning: August 21, 2027
- Target Impact: Enhancing the import capability of the Kerala grid, which reached a peak demand of 6,000 MW in recent summers.