Powergrid Bikaner IV Transmission Limited, formerly known as Bikaner A Power Transmission Limited, filed a petition with the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) under Section 63 of the Electricity Act, 2003. The petition aimed to adopt transmission charges for the Inter-State Transmission System to evacuate power from Rajasthan Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) Phase IV, Part 3, which covers the Bikaner complex. The project is set up on a Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer basis. Powergrid Bikaner IV Transmission Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL).

The transmission charges were discovered through a tariff-based competitive bidding process managed by REC Power Development and Consultancy Limited (RECPDCL), appointed as the Bid Process Coordinator. The bidding process followed the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Power under Section 63 of the Electricity Act, 2003. The bid was conducted online using e-reverse auction methodology, ensuring transparency. The process started with the Request for Proposal (RfP) being published on June 6, 2024, and the final e-reverse auction took place on October 8, 2024.

Four major companies participated in the bidding process: Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, Tata Power Company Limited, Adani Energy Solutions Limited, and Sterlite Grid 32 Limited. Initially, Adani Energy Solutions Limited submitted the lowest bid at ₹7,022.90 million. However, after 71 rounds of e-reverse auction, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited emerged as the successful bidder with the lowest final bid of ₹5,879.06 million. Tata Power came in second, followed by Adani Energy Solutions Limited and Sterlite Grid 32 Limited.

Following the successful auction, the Letter of Intent (LoI) was issued to Power Grid Corporation of India Limited on October 21, 2024. Subsequently, the Share Purchase Agreement was executed, and PGCIL acquired 100% equity of Bikaner A Power Transmission Limited on November 11, 2024. The company’s name was officially changed to Powergrid Bikaner IV Transmission Limited on March 5, 2025.

The project involves developing critical transmission infrastructure, including establishing a pooling station at Bikaner-IV with multiple transformers, reactors, and associated transmission lines. The scheduled Commercial Operation Date (COD) for these elements is 24 months from the transfer of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).

CERC reviewed the entire bidding and evaluation process. The Commission noted that the competitive bidding followed the Ministry of Power’s guidelines and that the discovered tariff was lower than the estimated costs. Therefore, CERC approved and adopted the transmission charges of ₹5,879.06 million per annum. The charges will remain effective for the duration specified in the Transmission Service Agreement (TSA).

The sharing of these charges among the Designated Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) customers will follow the CERC Sharing of Inter-State Transmission Charges and Losses Regulations, 2020, as amended from time to time. The petition was disposed of by CERC on March 22, 2025.