India eases renewable project delays caused by Great Indian Bustard protection

Renewable energy developers in India have been granted a reprieve by the clean energy ministry, which announced extra time for projects delayed by a Supreme Court ruling regarding power transmission lines in areas inhabited by the endangered Great Indian Bustard.

The Ministry of Power has officially categorised delays in obtaining necessary approvals for the installation of overhead power transmission lines within designated bird habitat zones in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat as an event of “force majeure.”

‘Force majeure’ provides crucial relief

This significant declaration, formalised in a ministry order issued on Monday, provides crucial relief to project developers, Reuters said in a report.

Specifically, recognising these regulatory hurdles as a force majeure event allows developers to formally petition for and receive extensions to their scheduled commissioning dates for respective projects.

This acknowledges that the delays stem from circumstances—namely, the environmental and wildlife protection mandates concerning these critical habitats—that are beyond the reasonable control of the developers, thereby preventing them from meeting their contractual deadlines.

The measure is designed to mitigate financial and legal risks for companies while the government and environmental bodies work toward a resolution that balances energy infrastructure development with biodiversity conservation in these ecologically sensitive regions.

The significant decision, which has been widely anticipated by environmentalists and legal observers, follows a landmark Supreme Court verdict delivered in December 2025.

This verdict was the culmination of a protracted and complex legal battle that had spanned several years.

Crucially, the Supreme Court’s ruling unequivocally supported the comprehensive proposal put forth by an independent expert panel.

This panel’s primary mandate was to develop a sustainable and effective strategy for the long-term conservation and protection of the critically endangered bird species at the heart of the case.

The implementation of the panel’s recommendations is now set to commence, marking a pivotal new phase in the nation’s commitment to biodiversity preservation and demonstrating the judiciary’s role in enforcing environmental safeguards.

Specifics of the ministry’s order and industry context

The panel recommended several measures to protect the bird’s habitat. These included imposing stricter limits on new wind and large solar developments within the habitat zones.

Additionally, the panel urged the undergrounding of essential power distribution lines and the rerouting of major high-voltage corridors.

Developers had previously postponed projects, awaiting necessary clearances, after the court restricted overhead lines within bustard habitats.

The ministry issued an order on Monday instructing the nation’s renewable energy agencies to allow extensions for delays that occurred between March 21, 2024, and December 19, 2025.

The timeline for the extensions granted by the order was not specified.

Project delays had exposed developers to the threat of penalties and disconnection from India’s transmission authority.

Although India targets 500 gigawatts of non-fossil-fuel power capacity by 2030, the country’s transmission network—which covers approximately 495,000 circuit kilometres—has not kept pace with the expansion in generation capacity.

Furthermore, the ministry directed the power ministry and grid operators to offer parallel relief to the affected projects concerning connectivity and transmission charges.

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