As Rajasthan’s power demand surges alongside its renewable energy ambitions, experts are warning that the state’s transmission network may soon emerge as the weakest link in the electricity value chain unless a major overhaul is undertaken. Industry specialists are now advocating a transition from the conventional 132/33 kV system to a modern 220/33 kV transmission framework to reduce losses, improve reliability and prepare the grid for future demand growth.
The power sector remains one of the country’s most socio-economically sensitive sectors, supporting households, agriculture and industries alike. While generation capacity has expanded rapidly in Rajasthan, experts say the focus must now shift towards strengthening the intrastate transmission network that carries electricity from generating stations to distribution utilities and consumers.
Data indicates that Rajasthan’s intrastate transmission losses have risen sharply from 3.33% in 2019-20 to around 4.25%-4.38% in recent years, significantly higher than the Northern Region grid average of 3.34%. During the same period, the state’s peak demand climbed from 14,277 MW to 19,165 MW, while annual energy procurement increased from 82.36 billion units to 117.70 billion units.
Power sector analysts estimate that every 0.1% increase in transmission loss results in an additional burden of nearly Rs 500 million on discoms through higher power purchase costs.
“Transmission losses are purely technical losses and directly linked to the efficiency of the network architecture. Rajasthan’s rising losses are a signal that the present system is under increasing stress,” said Saddaf Alam.
According to projections, Rajasthan’s peak electricity demand is expected to touch nearly 30,000 MW by 2031-32, with annual energy requirements reaching around 180 billion units. Experts say meeting this demand through the existing 132 kV and 220 kV framework would require massive expansion of transmission corridors, substations and circuit kilometres, resulting in higher capital expenditure, land acquisition hurdles and prolonged project timelines.
“The biggest challenge is not producing electricity but transporting it efficiently,” said Rajiv Srivastava. “If Rajasthan continues with incremental expansion of the existing framework, the state could face severe corridor congestion and escalating technical losses over the next decade.”
Industry experts are therefore recommending adoption of a 220/33 kV transmission model, eliminating the intermediate 132 kV stage for future expansion projects. Comparative studies suggest that the proposed framework could reduce transmission losses by nearly 40%, lower overall capital costs by about 10%, and significantly reduce the number of transmission lines and substations required.
“The 220/33 kV framework is not merely a technology upgrade; it is a strategic necessity for Rajasthan,” said Anil Gupta. “Higher voltage systems carry larger power loads more efficiently, improve reliability and reduce right-of-way challenges in densely cultivated regions.”
Experts have also suggested measures such as conductor bundling, reactive power management, improvement in discom power factor and selective deployment of HTLS conductors to further optimise the existing network.
With Rajasthan positioning itself as a renewable energy powerhouse, sector specialists believe transmission planning must evolve from short-term capacity addition to long-term grid modernisation. Without timely intervention, they warn, rising transmission inefficiencies could erode the financial viability of discoms and weaken the state’s energy transition goals.