Bengaluru: Karnataka expects to attract Rs 2–3 lakh crore in private investment in the power sector over the next four to five years.Speaking at the Bharat Electricity Indian Utility Week 2026 summit, Gaurav Gupta, Add…

Bengaluru: Karnataka expects to attract Rs 2–3 lakh crore in private investment in the power sector over the next four to five years.Speaking at the Bharat Electricity Indian Utility Week 2026 summit, Gaurav Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary (Energy), said that the state was also responding to feedback from investors, including on land-related regulations and project procedures. He noted that the State is simplifying rules and processes and moving them online to provide investors with a clear and seamless pathway for setting up projects.Karnataka okays investment projects worth Rs 29,679 crore“This kind of transparent and streamlined system will make it easier for more investors to participate in Karnataka’s power sector,” he said. Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) Managing Director Divya Prabhu opined that digitalisation will be key to the future growth of renewable energy. “Digitalisation of renewable energy projects is a major milestone for Karnataka”, she said.“The State has mapped renewable energy projects and developed a single-window digital platform that provides investors with comprehensive information on projects, making it easier for them to explore and invest in the sector. Karnataka is working towards creating a digitally enabled renewable energy ecosystem that is more transparent, predictable and investor-friendly,” Prabhu added.Gupta also noted that the power demand in Karnataka is expected to nearly double over the next decade and the state is ramping up production to meet the demand. Karnataka has a 10-year roadmap to scale its installed power capacity from 39 GW currently to 66 GW by 2030, he said.“The State’s electricity demand is expected to double over the coming decade, driven by rapid industrial expansion, widespread electric vehicle adoption and the development of large data centres in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Mangaluru. To manage this growth, Karnataka has emerged as an early State to implement a CEA and KERC-approved Resource Adequacy Plan. Over the next decade, Karnataka will continue to expand its power capacity while ensuring that this growth remains overwhelmingly green,” Gupta said.He added that the State’s clean-energy transition would be backed by investments in grid resilience and energy storage. “Karnataka is advancing the 2,000 MW Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project and deploying large-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems at critical KPTCL substations to provide greater flexibility to the power grid. The State is also expanding the Pavagada Solar Park, scaling up wind capacity and promoting the solarisation of agricultural feeders through PM-KUSUM Component-C and the Chief Minister Saura Krishi Yojana (CM-SKY),” he noted.

Source: Deccan Herald