CEA Releases Draft Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid Regulations, 2026

Central Electricity Authority, Draft Regulations under Section 177 of the Electricity Act, 2003, dated July 31, 2026

What happened

The Central Electricity Authority (“CEA”) issued the draft Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid) Regulations, 2026 (“Draft Regulations”), proposing to replace the existing Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid) Regulations, 2007 and subsequent amendments. The Draft Regulations were issued under Section 177(2)(e) of the Electricity Act, 2003, which empowers the CEA to prescribe technical standards for connectivity to the grid. The CEA subsequently invited public comments on the Draft Regulations on August 4, 2026.

Background

The 2007 Regulations were framed at a time when India’s grid was dominated by conventional synchronous generation. Since then, the grid has absorbed large volumes of renewable, hybrid and storage-based capacity, prompting the CEA to undertake a comprehensive revision of the technical standards governing connectivity. The Draft Regulations sought to establish a technology-neutral framework reflecting the increasing integration of renewable energy, battery energy storage systems and other advanced grid technologies.

Key proposed changes

The Draft Regulations significantly expanded the scope to cover synchronous and asynchronous generating stations, hybrid generating stations, Battery Energy Storage Systems (“BESS”), including pumped storage, HVDC systems and FACTS devices, and applied to entities connecting to the grid at 33 kV and above. The Draft Regulations proposed Low Voltage Ride-Through and High Voltage Ride-Through capabilities, power plant controllers for active and reactive power control, and additional technical requirements for BESS. In particular, BESS of 50 MW and above were proposed to have Automatic Generation Control, grid-forming inverter capability and black-start capability, in addition to other specified capabilities relating to active and reactive power control, voltage control, frequency response, fault and frequency ride-through, communication and control, ramp-rate control and night-mode operation.

The Draft Regulations also proposed that no generating unit or generating station would be granted connectivity with the grid without a Unique Registration Number generated through registration on CEA’s e-GEN portal. The CEA would be empowered to investigate cases of non-compliance and direct the appropriate transmission utility to disconnect a user from the grid until compliance was achieved, with non-compliance also attracting action under Section 146 of the Electricity Act, 2003.

Comment window: The CEA invited stakeholders and members of the public to submit comments and suggestions on the Draft Regulations. The comment period closed on September 2, 2026.

Why it mattered

The Draft Regulations, if notified, would materially raise the technical compliance requirements for renewable energy and battery storage developers seeking grid connectivity, and would formalise requirements relating to grid-forming capability and black-start support for larger BESS projects. The proposed framework also sought to bring emerging technologies, including hybrid plants, BESS, HVDC systems and FACTS devices, within a common set of technical connectivity standards.

Source: Central Electricity Authority, Draft Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid) Regulations, 2026, dated July 31, 2026; CEA’s invitation for public comments dated August 4, 2026.

Last Updated on 8 September, 2026