UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — ‘Transmission constraints threaten India’s renewable energy expansion’
Q1. With reference to network access and curtailment of renewable energy generators on India's inter-State transmission system, consider the following:
1. Temporary General Network Access permits a generator to use spare inter-State transmission capacity for periods ranging from a single time block up to about eleven months.
2. General Network Access is granted by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, and generators that do not obtain it on commissioning fall back on the temporary route.
3. Curtailment of such generators is concentrated in the evening peak hours, when solar output is at its highest.
4. Injection or drawal in excess of the sanctioned General Network Access capacity is charged at rates at least 25 per cent higher.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Temporary General Network Access permits a generator to use spare inter-State transmission capacity for periods ranging from a single time block up to about eleven months.
- General Network Access is granted by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, and generators that do not obtain it on commissioning fall back on the temporary route.
- Curtailment of such generators is concentrated in the evening peak hours, when solar output is at its highest.
- Injection or drawal in excess of the sanctioned General Network Access capacity is charged at rates at least 25 per cent higher.
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 1 and 4 only
Q2. Which one of the following is the principal technical reason why coal-based generating stations in India cannot be ramped down sufficiently to accommodate high midday solar generation?
- A. The must-run status granted to coal stations under the 2021 transmission rules
- B. The 25 per cent higher charge levied on injection above sanctioned network access
- C. The eleven-month ceiling on temporary access granted to renewable generators
- D. The minimum technical load of 55 per cent prescribed for coal-based units
Q3. In ICRA's August 2026 assessment of India's renewable energy sector, the figure of about 37 per cent denotes which one of the following?
- A. The proportion of inter-State transmission projects bid out competitively that missed their scheduled commissioning date
- B. The proportion of India's total commissioned renewable capacity curtailed during daylight hours in 2025-26
- C. The proportion of capacity at affected substations in the northern, western and southern regions evacuated under temporary access
- D. The proportion of renewable energy in India's total electricity generation projected for the year 2029-30
Q4. Consider the following statements regarding ICRA's 2026 assessments of India's renewable energy and transmission sectors:
1. Renewable capacity awarded through bidding fell to 14.7 GW in 2025-26 from 40.6 GW in 2024-25.
2. About 33 per cent of 54.8 GW of recently commissioned renewable capacity was being evacuated through the temporary network access route.
3. Renewable energy is projected to account for about 35 per cent of India's electricity generation by 2029-30, against about 22 per cent in 2024-25.
4. An investment of ₹5–6 trillion is estimated for the transmission segment over 2026-27 to 2031-32, the entire amount to be met from central budgetary support.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Renewable capacity awarded through bidding fell to 14.7 GW in 2025-26 from 40.6 GW in 2024-25.
- About 33 per cent of 54.8 GW of recently commissioned renewable capacity was being evacuated through the temporary network access route.
- Renewable energy is projected to account for about 35 per cent of India's electricity generation by 2029-30, against about 22 per cent in 2024-25.
- An investment of ₹5–6 trillion is estimated for the transmission segment over 2026-27 to 2031-32, the entire amount to be met from central budgetary support.
- A. 1 and 4 only
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q5. Which of the following were announced by India as elements of the 'Panchamrit' commitments at the COP-26 Summit at Glasgow in 2021?
1. Raising non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030
2. Meeting 50 per cent of India's energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030
3. Reducing the carbon intensity of the economy by 45 per cent by 2030 over 2005 levels
4. Achieving the target of net zero emissions by the year 2050
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Raising non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030
- Meeting 50 per cent of India's energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030
- Reducing the carbon intensity of the economy by 45 per cent by 2030 over 2005 levels
- Achieving the target of net zero emissions by the year 2050
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 3
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q6. Consider the following statements comparing India's achieved non-fossil capacity with its declared targets:
1. India reached 50 per cent of its cumulative installed electric power capacity from non-fossil sources in June 2025, ahead of the timeline set in its Nationally Determined Contribution.
2. As on 31 March 2026, India's installed non-fossil capacity of about 283 GW included nuclear capacity of less than 10 GW.
3. As on 31 March 2026, India's installed wind power capacity exceeded its installed solar power capacity.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- India reached 50 per cent of its cumulative installed electric power capacity from non-fossil sources in June 2025, ahead of the timeline set in its Nationally Determined Contribution.
- As on 31 March 2026, India's installed non-fossil capacity of about 283 GW included nuclear capacity of less than 10 GW.
- As on 31 March 2026, India's installed wind power capacity exceeded its installed solar power capacity.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q7. The preparation of an annual rolling implementation plan for the inter-State transmission system covering the next five years is entrusted to which one of the following?
- A. The Central Electricity Authority under the Ministry of Power
- B. The Central Transmission Utility of India Limited
- C. The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission
- D. Grid Controller of India Limited, formerly POSOCO
Q8. With reference to the institutional framework governing India's inter-State transmission system, consider the following pairs of body and function:
1. Central Electricity Authority — preparation of the National Electricity Plan and the Manual on Transmission Planning Criteria
2. Central Electricity Regulatory Commission — framing of regulations on General Network Access to the inter-State transmission system
3. Grid Controller of India Limited — real-time system operation, including issuance of curtailment instructions to generators
4. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy — grant of connectivity and General Network Access to renewable generators at inter-State substations
Which of the above pairs is/are NOT correctly matched?
- Central Electricity Authority — preparation of the National Electricity Plan and the Manual on Transmission Planning Criteria
- Central Electricity Regulatory Commission — framing of regulations on General Network Access to the inter-State transmission system
- Grid Controller of India Limited — real-time system operation, including issuance of curtailment instructions to generators
- Ministry of New and Renewable Energy — grant of connectivity and General Network Access to renewable generators at inter-State substations
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 3 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 2 and 4 only
Q9. The revised Standard Bid Documents, comprising the Request for Proposal and the Transmission Service Agreement, for the award of inter-State transmission projects through tariff-based competitive bidding are issued under the authority of which one of the following?
- A. The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission
- B. The Central Transmission Utility of India Limited
- C. The Ministry of Power
- D. The Central Electricity Authority
Q10. The Intra-State Transmission System component of the Green Energy Corridor Phase-II scheme, approved for grid integration of about 20 GW of renewable energy, is being implemented in how many States?
- A. Five
- B. Seven
- C. Eight
- D. Ten
Q11. Consider the following statements about the regional pattern of renewable energy curtailment in India as reported in 2026:
1. Peak curtailment in the western region has been placed at about 8,617 MW, the highest among the regional grids.
2. Peak curtailment in the northern region has been placed at about 5,573 MW.
3. In Rajasthan, projects operating under temporary network access reported almost complete curtailment between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
4. The eastern and north-eastern regional grids account for the bulk of the affected capacity operating under temporary network access.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Peak curtailment in the western region has been placed at about 8,617 MW, the highest among the regional grids.
- Peak curtailment in the northern region has been placed at about 5,573 MW.
- In Rajasthan, projects operating under temporary network access reported almost complete curtailment between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
- The eastern and north-eastern regional grids account for the bulk of the affected capacity operating under temporary network access.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 3
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q12. With reference to credit rating agencies whose assessments are relied upon for infrastructure and power sector financing in India, consider the following statements:
1. Agencies rating capital market instruments are registered and regulated under regulations framed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India in 1999.
2. ICRA Limited and CRISIL Limited are among the agencies registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India as credit rating agencies.
3. India Ratings and Research, formerly known as Fitch Ratings India, is a registered credit rating agency in India.
4. Credit rating agencies in India are registered and supervised by the Reserve Bank of India under the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Agencies rating capital market instruments are registered and regulated under regulations framed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India in 1999.
- ICRA Limited and CRISIL Limited are among the agencies registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India as credit rating agencies.
- India Ratings and Research, formerly known as Fitch Ratings India, is a registered credit rating agency in India.
- Credit rating agencies in India are registered and supervised by the Reserve Bank of India under the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2 and 4