As Odisha accelerates its shift toward a renewable and storage-driven power system, GRIDCO stands at the core of this transformation—managing procurement, integrating large-scale renewables, and enabling long-term resource adequacy for the State. Dr. Satya Priya Rath, IAS, Managing Director, Grid Corporation of Odisha (GRIDCO) Limited, in this exclusive technical interaction with Abhineet Kumar and Elma Fatima of Elets News Network (ENN), shares insights into Odisha’s evolving energy architecture, the role of pumped storage and floating solar, and GRIDCO’s strategic preparedness for the State’s ambitious Vision 2036 and Vision 2047 pathways. Edited excerpts:
GRIDCO plays a unique role as Odisha’s bulk power purchaser, renewable nodal agency, and balancing utility. How would you technically define GRIDCO’s core functions and operating framework today?
GRIDCO’s institutional framework is designed to ensure uninterrupted, cost-effective, and regulation-compliant power supply to Odisha’s distribution licensees. As the State Designated Entity for both bulk power procurement and renewable energy integration, GRIDCO’s technical responsibilities span the full spectrum of procurement, scheduling, banking, and settlement operations.
We procure power through long-term, medium-term, and short-term contracts from State generators, CPSUs, IPPs, and renewable developers. The current contracted portfolio stands at ~9,000 MW, enabling Odisha to consistently meet a peak demand of 6,242 MW without load shedding. The State also leverages ~12,000 MW of captive capacity that serves the industrial base.
GRIDCO’s procurement design is grounded in:
- Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) for RE and FSPV procurement
- PPA-based procurement from OPGC, OHPC, NTPC, and other IPPs
- Banking, bilateral trading, and day-ahead/real-time market operations managed via SLDC
- Periodic demand–supply forecasting aligned with Vision 2036 & 2047
GRIDCO also functions as the Renewable Energy Nodal Agency (RENA) responsible for operationalising OREP-2022, PSP Policy 2025, and FSPV Guidelines 2025. This includes allocation management, issuing LoIs, preparation of pre-feasibility report and DPR, procurement of power from PSP, FSVP, SHEP & other RE Sources.
The organisation also performs balancing functions—sourcing additional power or backing down generation based on system conditions coordinated through SLDC. GRIDCO’s financial and operational mandate, therefore, extends beyond procurement into regulatory compliance, renewable obligation fulfilment, and long-term resource adequacy.
How do you envision the organisation’s evolving role as Odisha transitions toward a 74% non-fossil capacity mix by 2047?
Odisha’s long-term energy vision — articulated in the 2036 and 2047 projections — emphasises a structural shift toward a cleaner, storage-backed electricity system. The State aims to achieve 61% non-fossil energy by 2036 and 74% by 2047, with total installed capacity rising to 29,993 MW by 2047. This transition places GRIDCO at the centre of three converging responsibilities: procurement leadership, renewable integration, and financial stewardship.
Our evolution is both structural and functional. Structurally, GRIDCO is moving from being merely the bulk purchaser of power to becoming a strategic energy transition agency that orchestrates the State’s renewable deployment, pumped storage integration, and long-term resource adequacy. Functionally, the shift requires deeper engagement in renewable-heavy procurement, evaluation of RE-RTC structures, and oversight of large-scale storage projects that enable 24×7 reliable supply.
Odisha’s aggressive push for renewables, including 7500 MW solar (5000+ MW floating solar), 2000 MW wind, and 1200 MW pumped storage and 260 MW of SHEP by 2030, fundamentally changes GRIDCO’s procurement dynamics. Our mandate now involves tariff discovery for hybrid power, storage-backed renewables, and next-generation procurement models. This transformation necessitates enhanced analytic capabilities, multi-criteria evaluation frameworks, and a comprehensive view of techno-economic parameters.
In this transition, GRIDCO is poised to serve not only DISCOMs but also Odisha’s rapidly expanding industrial load, where green power demand from sectors like green hydrogen, green ammonia, metals, and chemicals is rising sharply. The role is thus strategic, to ensure that cost-effective, firm, and clean power becomes a competitive advantage for Odisha’s investment climate.
Odisha’s renewable energy ambitions require significant scaling. How is GRIDCO building internal technical capabilities to manage procurement, forecasting, and project evaluation?
Renewable integration at scale demands not only procurement pathways but also institutional readiness. We are strengthening GRIDCO’s internal systems across three pillars: market analytics, project evaluation, and digital forecasting.
1. Market Analytics and Procurement Competence
GRIDCO’s workforce now manages a portfolio where 43% of the supply mix comes from renewables. This demands real-time understanding of RE variability, market prices on energy exchanges, RTC contract structuring, and hedging strategies. Our teams are being trained in:
- RE tariff modelling
- Storage valuation
- Competitive bidding under TBCB
- Banking and settlement strategies
- Power market analytics through DAM/RTM platforms
2. Technical Evaluation of Emerging Project Types
Policies like the Odisha PSP Policy 2025 and Floating Solar Guidelines 2025 expand GRIDCO’s project evaluation responsibilities.
Under the PSP Policy, GRIDCO may procure entire saleable power from State-identified PSPs, exercise 80% Right of First Refusal, and lead TBCB-based storage procurement.
Under FSPV Guidelines, GRIDCO must demarcate water surfaces, design bidding documents, oversee project allocation, scrutinise DPRs, d coordinate technical approvals — a major operational expansion.
This requires teams skilled in hydrology, anchoring systems, dam safety parameters, and reservoir-side energy evacuation.
3. Forecasting and Grid-Aware Procurement
With projected peak demand rising from 10,023 MW in 2036 to 16,730 MW by FY 2047, GRIDCO’s planning now conducts:
- 20-year demand modeling
- RE generation forecasting
- Resource adequacy planning aligned with GEETC (Odisha’s green transmission corridor)
GRIDCO’s strategy is to embed advanced forecasting tools, strengthen SLDC interfaces, and integrate RE forecasting models directly into procurement decisions.
Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) are emerging as Odisha’s long-duration storage backbone. What leadership priorities guide GRIDCO’s involvement with PSP development?
PSPs are indispensable for Odisha’s clean energy trajectory, especially as RE penetration increases. Odisha’s geology offers a strategic advantage, with 45 State-identified PSP sites and over 11.38 GW of proposals from private developers. GRIDCO’s priorities span three areas: facilitating private investments, ensuring regulatory clarity, and designing procurement models that ensure affordable tariffs.
1. Facilitating Project Development
As per the PSP Policy 2025, GRIDCO may procure entire project output, conduct TBCB for storage, and manage tariff determination under Section 62 for nomination-based projects. Our leadership approach focuses on simplifying procurement, ensuring transparent project allocation, and prioritiSing high-impact sites like:
- 600 MW Upper Indravati PSP
- 600 MW Upper Kolab PSP
- 500 MW Balimela PSP
2. Ensuring Cost-Reflective Storage Tariffs
Long-duration storage is expensive. Our approach ensures that PSP-based tariffs remain viable through:
- Secondary energy supply to GRIDCO during monsoon at regulated tariffs
- Competitive bidding where input and output energy costs are transparently benchmarked
- Integrating PSPs with hybrid renewable contracts to reduce firm power cost
3. Enabling Odisha’s Industrial Transition
Green hydrogen, data centres, and heavy industry require 24×7 clean power. PSPs allow Odisha to supply firm renewable energy at competitive prices — a critical economic differentiator.
Odisha has assessed over 5,000 MW floating solar potential. What is your vision for responsible FSPV development, and how is GRIDCO ensuring sustainable and technically sound deployment?
Floating solar is one of the most strategic renewable avenues for Odisha due to limited barren land and abundant reservoirs. Our vision is rooted in sustainability, reservoir safety, and technical rigour.
Responsible Deployment Framework
Under the January 2025 FSPV Guidelines, GRIDCO’s role includes:
- Demarcating water surfaces using DoWR’s Go/No-Go/Restricted zones
- Executing TBCB or upfront-premium–based bidding
- Driving DPR evaluation across hydrological, environmental, and engineering parameters
- Coordinating tri-monthly Reservoir Committee reviews (10th, 20th, 30th)
- Ensuring compliance with IS-9296:2021 and Dam Safety Act 2021
Our emphasis is on careful site selection to avoid ecological conflict, maintain reservoir stability, and manage anchor–mooring designs that withstand Odisha’s climatic patterns.
Enabling Large-Scale Deployment
The intent over the next decade is to operationalise multi-hundred–MW floating parks at reservoirs like Hirakud, Rengali, Upper Indravati, and others. GRIDCO’s technical demarcation timelines
— 7 days for project zoning, 45 days for bidding, and 13 days for DPR review — ensure speed without compromising safety.
Our leadership vision is clear: floating solar will be a major contributor to Odisha’s 2030 RE target, while also conserving water and reducing land-use conflicts.
Odisha’s distribution losses have fallen significantly. How does GRIDCO’s procurement strategy support affordable and reliable power for end consumers?
Odisha’s DISCOMs today serve 98 lakh consumers with supply hours better than the national average. AT&C losses have decreased from 17.70% to 16.55% over two fiscal years. GRIDCO supports this improvement through three mechanisms:
1. Cost-Optimised Bulk Supply Portfolio
GRIDCO balances procurement from costlier thermal sources, low-cost hydro, and renewables, which today comprise 43% of the State’s supply mix. This reduces average Bulk Supply Price (BSP) volatility, enabling predictable DISCOM tariffs.
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2. Enhanced Renewable Scheduling
With more RE-RTC and hybrid contracts, Odisha can reduce dependence on expensive short-term procurement, particularly during peak-demand periods.
3. Transparent, Predictable PPAs
Long-term PPAs with OPGC, OHPC, NTPC, and renewable developers ensure stable power supply and reduce DISCOM exposure to market shocks.
The combination of stable procurement and reduced losses strengthens financial sustainability, ultimately benefiting all categories of consumers.