Rajasthan is the largest state in India by area and has the highest renewable energy (RE) potential in the country, estimated at around 450 gigawatts (GW). As a RE-rich state, Rajasthan is not only expected to meet its own RE targets, but also export surplus power to other states, thus playing a pivotal role in achieving the India’s broader energy transition goals. The state aims to install approximately 125 GW of RE capacity to contribute to the national target of 500 GW of RE capacity by 2030. To do this while catering to the growing electricity demand in the state, Rajasthan must fortify its transmission planning since the transmission system serves as a vital link between generating stations and load centres. Moreover, as the gestation period of transmission infrastructure is significantly longer than that of RE projects, the transmission network needs to be planned well in advance to prevent curtailment of power generated from RE sources due to network unavailability.

This paper examines the transmission network availability in Rajasthan for integrating the power generated by the proposed RE projects and meet the projected state demand for financial year (FY) 2029-30. For this, we modelled the transmission network at voltage levels of 220 kilovolts (kV) and above, using the software Power System Simulator for Engineering (PSS/E), and executed a comprehensive load-flow analysis to evaluate the network’s availability to accommodate the increasing RE-based power generation in the state. Based on the findings, the paper identifies the existing network constraints and proposes specific strengthening measures to support the smooth integration of RE in the state. It also indicates the investment required to execute the recommendations. In addition to the above, we developed a multilayer geographic map representing the 220 kV-and-above network to aid in the spatial planning of RE plants and support decision-making regarding their integration into the grid.

According to our analysis, reconductoring of 168 circuit-kilometres (ckm) of transmission lines with high-ampacity conductors, laying 102 ckm of additional transmission lines, and installing 1,530 mega volt-amperes (MVA) of additional transformation capacity would be required by Rajasthan to integrate the proposed RE plants and meet the projected load by FY 2029-30. The total investment needed for implementing the network strengthening measures recommended by our analysis is estimated to be USD 248.19 million.

The paper provides useful insights on the magnitude of increase required in transformation capacity and transmission-line expansion, along with the associated investment costs, which can enable the state planners to make effective decisions for accommodating the increasing share of RE in Rajasthan. Further, the GIS mapping exercise identifies suitable substations in the existing grid for connecting the upcoming RE projects, thereby providing vital inputs for RE developers and state network planners.