India approves ₹1.86 lakh crore green energy corridor plan

The Union Cabinet has approved Green Energy Corridor Phase III, a ₹1,86,405-crore scheme to expand intrastate electricity transmission and deploy battery storage, with the aim of enabling the evacuation of up to 135 gigawatts of renewable power. The government has set a completion target of fiscal year 2032-33. The plan allocates ₹1,36,378 crore to intrastate transmission systems and ₹50,000 crore to install 50 gigawatt-hours of battery energy storage. It also provides ₹54,082 crore in central financial support. The government says that assistance will help offset transmission charges and keep electricity costs down for consumers; that is a stated expected benefit, not a reported result. The battery systems are intended to provide flexibility as renewable generation varies, address congestion and peak-hour curtailment, and help meet electricity demand during nonsolar hours, according to the scheme description. The transmission buildout is intended to carry renewable electricity from generation sites through state-level networks and support integration of up to 135 GW into the grid.