District Cooling Critical for India's Energy Future Amid Rising Demand

Industry leaders at the 6th ET Energy Leadership Summit 2026 highlighted the urgent need for district cooling infrastructure in India. Cooling demand in the country is projected to increase eightfold by 2047-48 from 2017-18 levels, potentially consuming up to half of the peak electricity demand. Experts stressed that meeting this demand requires a comprehensive approach, including policy mandates, viable business models, domestic manufacturing, and better integration with grid planning.

Marisamy Muthuraman, Additional General Manager-Engineering at NTPC, noted that simply expanding generation capacity to meet cooling needs would incur significant costs across generation, transmission, and distribution. Instead, he advocated for strategies such as time-of-day tariffs and thermal energy storage to shift cooling consumption to off-peak hours and support grid balancing. The panel concluded that the successful scaling of district cooling in India depends on policy recognition, financial incentives, and the development of domestic equipment capabilities to prevent a substantial peak-power problem.

BNC Power Projects Secures Two EPC Contracts for Maharashtra Transmission Network Upgrade

Contract Details and Scope of Work

BNC Power Projects Limited has secured two turnkey engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts from Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (MSETCL). The combined value of these contracts exceeds Rs 2.8 billion. The primary objective of these projects is to modernize and reinforce Maharashtra’s extra high voltage (EHV) transmission network through the conversion of existing air-insulated substations (AIS) into gas-insulated substations (GIS).

The first contract, valued at approximately Rs 1.09 billion, involves the conversion of existing 220/100 kV AIS bays to GIS bays at the 220/100 kV Kandalgaon substation. This work falls under the EHV project-cum-operation and maintenance (PC O&M) Zone, Vashi.

The second contract, valued at approximately Rs 1.71 billion, encompasses several tasks. It includes the elimination of the existing 100/22 kV Vasai substation and the establishment of new 220 kV GIS and 100 kV GIS facilities at Vasai. Additionally, this contract covers the supply, erection, testing, and commissioning of 22 kV GIS bays at the 220/22 kV Nalasopara substation, also within the EHV PC O&M Zone, Vashi.

Project Timeline and Expected Impact

Both projects are scheduled for completion within 15 months from the respective dates of the Letters of Award (LoAs). Upon completion, these upgrades are anticipated to improve the operational efficiency of MSETCL’s transmission network. The enhancements are specifically targeted at benefiting the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and the Konkan region.

LS Electric and GE Vernova Form Joint Venture for VSC-HVDC Business in South Korea

LS Electric, a power equipment manufacturer, and GE Vernova, a global power infrastructure company, have signed a joint venture (JV) agreement. The JV, named Grid X Technology, aims to bolster their position in the voltage-sourced converter-high voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC) business. This collaboration is intended to support the development of South Korea’s next-generation grid.

The agreement was formalized on August 25, 2026, in Paris, France, during Conseil International des Grands Réseaux Électriques 2026. The newly formed Grid X Technology will focus on developing joint offerings and strategies. These efforts will cover key equipment supply and the execution of HVDC projects within South Korea’s VSC-HVDC market.