# POWERGRID Acquires Barmer Transmission to Construct ±800 kV 6,000 MW Desert Solar Evacuation Corridor

> Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) has completed the acquisition of Barmer HVDC Power Transmission Limited under Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB), initiating construction of a massive ±800 kV, 6,000 MW direct-current transmission corridor and terminal converter substations to evacuate desert solar power from Rajasthan to industrial demand centers.

- **Publish Date:** 2026-09-30
- **Category:** renewable-integration
- **Reading Time:** 5 min
- **Original Source Citation:** [Power Grid Corporation of India & Central Electricity Authority (CEA)](https://www.powergrid.in/press-releases/acquisition-barmer-800kv-hvdc-transmission-scheme-solar-evacuation-2026)
- **Tags:** POWERGRID, Barmer HVDC, 800 kV UHVDC, Rajasthan, Solar Evacuation, Converter Transformers, ISTS, India Grid
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## Constructing a 1,000 km 6 GW Ultra-High-Voltage DC Superhighway

Announced on September 30, 2026, the acquisition vests POWERGRID with responsibility to engineer, finance, and operate the Barmer I HVDC transmission scheme. The project features a 1,000 km bipole transmission line spanning western Rajasthan across to northern industrial load hubs.

Rated at ±800 kV with an evacuation capacity of 6,000 MW, the corridor is engineered to unblock vast renewable energy zones (REZ) in Thar Desert basins, wheeling solar electricity with minimal Joule heating line losses.

## Terminal Converter Substations and 800 kV Converter Transformers

The scheme incorporates twin terminal converter substations equipped with single-phase ±800 kV converter transformers, thyristor/VSC hybrid valve halls, and 765 kV AC switchyards.

The converter transformers feature heavy-duty seismic base dampers, vacuum tap-changers, and specialized high-voltage DC bushings engineered to withstand severe saline desert dust storms and ambient thermal extremes up to 52°C.

## Anchor Corridor for India’s 500 GW Non-Fossil Mandate

India’s Central Electricity Authority highlighted that the Barmer link, alongside the KPS2-Nagpur HVDC project, forms the high-capacity backbone required to achieve the national target of 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030.

Commercial commissioning is targeted for late 2029, delivering bulk clean power directly to urban industrial centers.

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