India power grid plans: Manohar Lal reviews resilience for clean energy and rising demand

Union Minister Manohar Lal chaired a parliamentary consultative committee meeting under the Power Ministry on Tuesday. The talks centred on a future-ready power grid for India’s clean energy plans. Lal said the grid must stay reliable as demand rises. Members discussed steps to keep the system stable during large renewable additions.

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After the meeting, Lal told media that peak demand reached 270.8 GW on May 21, 2026. Lal said it stayed below the 283 GW generation capacity, and demand was met. Lal also noted that peak demand touched 250 gigawatt in 2024. Lal added that higher demand levels were being planned for.

Power grid stability and India clean energy transition

Lal said, "Our discussions focused on building a robust and future-ready power grid to support Indias clean energy ambitions,\". Lal said the meeting looked at stability needs as renewables scale up. The committee also reviewed the growing share of inverter-based resources. Lal underlined the need for a flexible and resilient grid.

Officials said the committee assessed emerging grid needs linked to higher electricity use. The review covered large renewable integration and rising inverter-based generation resources. Members discussed forecasting and compliance with technical standards. Talks also included power quality, grid flexibility, and resilience. The group treated grid stability as key to energy security.

Power grid stability measures for renewable integration

Lal said, \"The members also exchanged views on enhancing grid resilience through transmission expansion, energy storage, renewable integration, advanced forecasting, and deployment of technologies that strengthen system stability,\". The committee discussed secure renewable integration and stronger transmission networks. Members also covered dynamic reactive power support. Energy storage options remained central to the discussion.

Members appreciated measures that reduced renewable curtailment risks. One focus was timing, to avoid gaps between new transmission lines and RE projects. Another suggestion encouraged bulk consumers near large renewable complexes. Officials said this could reduce transmission spending. The committee also noted record renewable capacity integration of more than 50 GW in a year.

Power grid stability plans for solar power and storage

Lal said the emphasis was on solar power generation. Lal said transmission had to move solar power across states. Lal said battery storage and pump storage were needed to use solar output. Lal said, \"Transmission system needed to evacuate it from one state to another, battery storage, pump storage to use that solar power, all these things are being taken care of to ensure seamless evacuation of power,\".

Lal said the system was preparing for higher peaks next year. Lal said, \"Next year, it is estimated that even if 330 GW peak demand comes, we will meet it,\". The committee’s discussion linked this target with added transmission and storage. Members also reviewed the impact of bulk loads on stability. Planning aimed to keep supply steady.

Power grid stability and prepaid smart metering rollout

Lal also spoke about prepaid smart metering in phases. Lal said the first stage should cover government consumers. Lal said the next stage should include high-end consumers with more than 10kW load. Lal said incentives should support voluntary conversion. The aim was better efficiency and improved demand management.

The meeting included Shripad Yesso Naik, Union Minister of State for Power, along with MPs. The Secretary, Ministry of Power, and senior sector officials also attended. Key institutions present included the Central Electricity Authority. Grid Controller of India Limited and Central Transmission Utility of India Limited were also represented.

Separately, Lal chaired a review meeting on Monday evening. The review assessed Haryana’s power utilities and centrally sponsored schemes. Officials linked both meetings to the wider grid stability agenda. The consultative committee discussions kept focus on renewable integration and storage. The ministry said planning would support rising demand and clean energy goals.

With inputs from PTI