23 Key Solar Power Stories for Indian Professionals

India's solar sector is moving fast — from transmission tariff filings and rooftop booms to global manufacturing share shifts and grid modernization demands. This press review covers 23 stories from across Indian publications, grounded in today's verified print data and powered by Press Monitor's media intelligence. Each story is a clip you can trace back to its source. Rs 295 Crore Bhadla Transmission Tariff — Power Grid Corporation of India Limited filed a tariff petition before the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission for a 400 kV switching bay at Bhadla-III PS, with ReNew Solar (Shakti Six) Pvt. Ltd as the beneficiary and an estimated asset cost of Rs 294.83 crore. The tariff determination covers 2024-2028 and affects multiple state electricity undertakings. Karnataka Leads With 27 GW RE — Karnataka meets nearly 70 percent of its energy needs from renewable sources with about 27 GW of installations. Santosh Kumar Sarangi, secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, discussed battery storage support and rooftop solar schemes with the Karnataka government ahead of the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit 2026. BRICS Adopts Nine Frameworks — BRICS adopted cooperation frameworks covering renewable energy, digital public infrastructure, startup funding, smart grids, and a photovoltaics working group. The initiatives include a BRICS startup innovation fund, a digital centre of excellence for smart grids, and an MoU on standardisation. Luminous plans 2,000 crore solar investment — Luminous Power Technologies plans to invest around 2,000 crore over five years in solar manufacturing and energy storage, with a 1.2 GW solar cell plant in Gopalpur, Odisha expected to produce its first batch from May 2027. Managing Director and CEO Vivek Abrol outlined the strategy. Kotak Equities Flags NTPC, BHEL Valuation Divide — BHEL is up 64 percent over six months while NTPC is down 12 percent, with BHEL's market cap at 21.5 trillion rupees. Kotak Institutional Equities questions the valuation thesis, citing BHEL's coal expansion pricing versus NTPC's weak renewable growth. India Capex Doubles to $212 Trillion — India has become part of the global supply-chain realignment with power-grid capex increasingly critical. The country is emerging as a major alternative destination for data centres due to neutral ground, reliable power, and a skilled workforce. India Needs Rs4.9 Lakh Crore Grid Upgrade — India requires approximately Rs4.91 lakh crore between 2027 and 2032 to expand transmission infrastructure and connect renewable energy hubs. Companies like Resonia and Serentica Renewables are deploying AI and drone technologies to accelerate construction. India's Renewable Energy Growth — Solar energy combined with battery storage has become cheaper than building new coal plants, with installed generation capacity exceeding 500 gigawatts. The energy shortage gap has fallen from 0.5 percent to nearly zero. 13,000 Crore Power Crisis — Chief Minister V D Satheesan criticised Kerala State Electricity Board officials for obstructing renewable energy projects, warning that the plan to spend 13,000 crore on external electricity could rise to 16,000 crore. He called for a new power policy in October emphasizing solar and non-hydro sources. BRICS Clean Energy Push — The Centre for Science and Environment welcomed the BRICS summit declaration promoting green energy, clean technology, solar power, smart grids, energy storage, and low-emission hydrogen. Stop Garbage Dumping in Drain — Residents of Ward 52 in KR Puram are dumping garbage into a stormwater drain, causing foul odour and mosquito breeding. The GBA is urged to cover the drain or install CCTV, and the space could host solar panels. Delhi mandates structural safety audits — Chief Minister Rekha Gupta mandated structural audits and safety certification for all private guesthouses, hostels, and public buildings after the Satya Niketan collapse. The administration also outlined timelines for electric mobility and a Yamuna River cleanup target by 2028. Rs 3.09 crore Solar Lights — West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited issued e-tenders for Rs 3.09 crore solar streetlights along the Manebhanjyang to Gorkhey corridor and Rs 5.19 crore landslide restoration at Sidrapong Hydel Project. UP Leads Residential Solar Boom — Uttar Pradesh added 228.95 MW in August as India's largest residential rooftop solar market, even as nationwide installations fell 11.6 percent month-on-month. The PM Surya Ghar scheme reached 16,185.48 MW across 5.46 million households. CIAL Calls for 18-MWp Solar E-Tender — CIAL Infrastructures Limited issued an e-Tender for an Operation and Maintenance Contract for 18 MWp ground-mounted solar PV at Cochin International Airport. Section 232 Rule: Hurdle or Opportunity for Indian Solar Makers — US President Donald Trump set minimum import prices and additional tariffs on imported polysilicon effective December 4, aiming to boost American manufacturing. Indian solar manufacturers face uncertainty from anti-dumping investigations. Google Solar API Boosts Small Installers — Google's Solar API enables remote assessment for small rooftop solar businesses in India, integrated by Solar Ladder to accelerate the PM-Surya Ghar scheme. Global solar manufacturing investment shifts trends — Global solar manufacturing investment totalled 25.7 billion dollars in the first half of 2026, with India at 5 percent and China at 77 percent. Indian investment fell by more than a third from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026. Rapid Growth in Indian Solar Investment — Domestic investment in solar component manufacturing expanded substantially from late 2023 through mid-2025, highlighting a strategic pivot toward sustainable finance. Reuters data corroborates the sector's robust expansion. India 48% of Global Solar Investment — India's share of global solar manufacturing investment rose to 48 percent in Q2 2026 from 5 percent in Q4 2023, while China's share fell from 77 percent to 31 percent. Global investment collapsed 83 percent from 25.7 billion dollars to 4.2 billion. Kerala Faces Electricity Crisis — Kerala is experiencing power cuts lasting up to an hour as daily demand reached 5,000 megawatts in September 2026. Hydropower generation has fallen due to weak monsoon rainfall and reservoirs at 63.75 percent capacity. Keralam Powers 2.96 Lakh Installations — Keralam has 2.96 lakh rooftop solar installations covering 3 lakh households under PM Surya Ghar, yet the state cannot meet nighttime demand due to a lack of storage options. 70 Billion Rupees Solar Power Tariff Petition Filed — A petitioner filed public interest litigation before the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission seeking interconnection for Ritesu Solar (Shakti Shiksha) Private Limited at a cost of seventy billion rupees with a tariff of four hundred fifty thousand nine hundred ten rupees per kilowatt. Parties include Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited and Punjab State Power Corporation Limited. According to Press Monitor's tracking of Indian publications, these 23 stories reflect the breadth of today's solar power news — from tariff petitions and state-level capacity to manufacturing investment and policy shifts. Which of these developments will have the most impact on your sector this quarter? Tag the companies and officials mentioned in these stories to keep them in the loop.