India's first ±800 kV HVDC lines (2015-2019)
India commissioned its first ultra-high-voltage direct current lines, including the multi-terminal line from Biswanath Chariali in Assam to Agra in Uttar Pradesh, over 1,700 km long. The Raigarh-Pugalur corridor followed in 2015-2018. Engineers and contractors had to learn how to build and operate the technology at scale.
The lines proved HVDC could span Indian distances reliably and created domestic expertise in converter stations.
POWERGRID now applies that experience to a new generation of lines built specifically for renewable evacuation.
The Barmer project uses the same ±800 kV HVDC technology at 6,000 MW capacity, but its purpose is new: moving desert solar to load centers instead of thermal power from eastern coal fields.
