Powering the AI Era: India’s USD 200 Billion Push Needs Power Grid Overhaul

New Delhi [India], February 24: India is rolling out the red carpet for global technology leaders, with a commitment to catalyse nearly USD $200 billion in artificial intelligence investments over the next two years across all five layers of the AI stack. From semiconductor fabrication and data centres to cloud infrastructure and AI applications, the ambition signals India’s intent to position itself as a global AI powerhouse. As this digital ecosystem scales, ensuring robust and reliable power infrastructure will be equally critical to sustaining momentum.

At the recently concluded AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined a vision in which more than half of the energy powering this new AI infrastructure would come from clean sources. States such as Rajasthan and Gujarat already lead in solar generation and transmission expansion. The next phase of India’s AI journey will therefore hinge on strengthening grid integration, enhancing storage capacity, and enabling smarter load management so that renewable energy can seamlessly power the country’s fast-growing AI ambitions.

Over the last few months, nearly 8 gigawatts of green power – built at an estimated cost of Rs. 16,000 crore – have been subject to curtailment amid operational safeguards at the National Load Despatch Centre. To prevent grid disturbances during this rapid expansion phase, only a portion of the electricity has been allowed to flow through new lines, resulting in production adjustments equivalent to 18% of Rajasthan’s average monthly solar output.

For project developers, the transition underscores the importance of synchronized grid planning. Ratings agency India Ratings and Research notes that continued grid-access uncertainty could affect equity returns for renewable projects by 300 to 400 basis points. The central transmission utility (CTUIL) has highlighted a ‘mismatch’ between generation ambitions and demand growth, with over 60 GW of renewable capacity in Rajasthan awaiting transmission approval, pointing to the urgent need for faster infrastructure coordination to avoid congestion and stranded assets.

The implications extend beyond generators to India’s fast-growing data centre economy. Facilities requiring 24×7 power with near-zero downtime are operating in an environment where supply flows are being actively managed. In some metros, data centres already account for up to 15% of local grid capacity, a share expected to double by 2030. With hyperscalers demanding uninterrupted supply and grid operators yet to introduce robust compensation mechanisms for curtailment, reliability planning is becoming central to investment decisions.

Transmission awards worth Rs. 1.2 lakh crore have been issued this fiscal year alone, signalling an aggressive buildout of grid infrastructure. As capacity expands, the next phase will require enhanced real-time data sharing, dynamic load management, and integrated planning to ensure infrastructure is fully utilised.

If India wants to  capitalise on its projected $200 billion AI opportunity, the evolution of grid management from precautionary restriction to active optimisation will be a game changing step. The scale of investment, the pace of renewable growth, and the parallel expansion of transmission capacity suggests that the foundations are being laid efficiently, and not just for AI leadership, but for a more resilient and future-ready energy ecosystem.

PNN Lifestyle