CEA Issues Draft Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards For Connectivity To The Grid) Regulations, 2026

The Central Electricity Authority (“CEA”), by notification dated 31.07.2026 has published the Draft Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid) Regulations, 2026¹ (“Draft Technical Standard Regulations”). The salient aspects of the Draft Technical Standard Regulations are as follows:

1. Applicability: The Draft Technical Standard Regulations are applicable to all the users, requesters, Central Transmission Utility (“CTU”), appropriate Load Despatch Centre and State Transmission Utility (“STU”). A “requester” or “user” includes a generating company, captive generating plant, energy storage system (“ESS”), transmission licensee (other than the CTU and STU), distribution licensee or bulk consumer seeking connection to, or connected with, the grid at a voltage level of 33 kV and above.
2. General connectivity requirements:
   • The requester/user will be responsible for the planning, design, construction, reliability, protection and safe operation of its own equipment and shall ensure that the new connection does not adversely affect the grid.
   • The requester/user must participate in contingency operations, including load shedding, increase or reduction of generation, islanding, black start, provision of start-up power and restoration, in accordance with the procedure specified by the appropriate Load Despatch Centre.
   • The requester/user must comply with the cyber security guidelines, regulations and technical standards prescribed by the CEA, as well as the guidelines and orders issued by the Central Government, CERT-In, NSCS and NCIIPC from time to time.
3. Requirements for generating stations and ESS
   • The Draft Technical Standard Regulations prescribe separate technical requirements for synchronous generating stations, asynchronous generating stations, ESS, HVDC systems, FACTS devices, distribution systems and bulk consumers.
   • The requirements include frequency and voltage operating ranges, low-voltage and high-voltage ride-through capability, active and reactive power control, primary and fast frequency response, power quality, protection systems and communication facilities.
   • Bulk consumers having an aggregated capacity of 50 MW and above at the Point of Interconnection must have the facility to receive signals from the appropriate Load Despatch Centre for varying active-power support and reactive-power output.
4. Connectivity Procedure: No generating unit or generating station shall be granted connectivity with the grid without a unique registration number generated upon registration on the e-GEN portal of the CEA. The STU is required to inform the CTU and the CEA within 30 days of acceptance of an application for connectivity to its electricity system. In the case of asynchronous generating stations, the technical connection data is required to be submitted at least 12 months before physical interconnection with the grid.
5. Enforcement and consequences of non-compliance
   • Any non-compliance during real-time operation must be reported by the concerned Load Despatch Centre to the CEA within 7 days of the relevant grid incident, disturbance or event.
   • The concerned user must submit a detailed report setting out the reasons for non compliance and the proposed corrective measures to the appropriate Load Despatch Centre within three days of the incident.
   • The CEA may investigate any case of non compliance and direct the appropriate transmission utility to disconnect the user from the grid until compliance is achieved. Non compliance will also be dealt with in accordance with Section 146 of the Electricity Act, 2003.

Stakeholders may submit their comments on the Draft Technical Regulations by 02.09.2026.

Footnote

1. Draft Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid) Regulations, 2026

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