Central Transmission Utility of India

What Central Transmission Utility of India does

Central Transmission Utility of India Limited (CTUIL) is the statutory Central Transmission Utility of India, notified by the Ministry of Power vide Gazette Notification dated 09.03.2021 and operating since 01.04.2021 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID). Established under Section 38 of the Electricity Act, 2003, CTUIL is the sole entity responsible for planning, coordinating, and granting non-discriminatory open access to India's Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS), spanning five regional grids with 315 substations, 594,080 MVA of transformation capacity, and 215,873 CKM of transmission lines as of April 2026. The entity serves as the nodal agency for PM Gati Shakti national infrastructure monitoring, TBCB (Tariff Based Competitive Bidding) project administration, billing/collection/disbursement of transmission charges under CERC regulations, and cross-border interconnection planning with Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar.

CTUIL's operational platform comprises multiple integrated systems: the ISTS Communication Network (MPLS-TP and fiber-optic), the Unified National Microwave System (UNMS) for fault detection, the PMU Portal for real-time phasor data monitoring, the Connectivity Monitoring Portal for application tracking, and the CTU Urja Meter public-facing dashboard. Connectivity and General Network Access (GNA) applications are processed through the National Single Window System (NSWS) portal. Core product lines include ISTS Planning & Coordination (with biannual rolling plans over five-year horizons), Open Access Services, Billing/Collection/Disbursement (BCD), TBCB Administration (100 TSAs signed to date), Communication & Metering Systems, and Gati Shakti National Master Plan monitoring. Approximately 100 specialized employees drawn from premier Indian engineering and management institutes operate the platform.

CTUIL does not sell commercial products and does not retain the transmission charges it collects; it functions as a statutory billing, collection, and disbursement agent that passes Yearly Transmission Charges to ISTS licensees in proportion to CERC-determined allocations. Customer acquisition is regulatory-driven through CERC-governed processes rather than commercial sales. The customer base comprises Designated ISTS Customers (DICs) — generating stations, State Transmission Utilities, distribution licensees, SEBs/successor entities, bulk consumers, and Transmission Service Providers (TSPs) — all of whom access the grid under Electricity Act 2003 and CERC regulatory frameworks. Revenue is not separately disclosed; CTUIL operates as a coordination function within POWERGRID's corporate structure.

Name

Central Transmission Utility of India

Legal name

Central Transmission Utility of India Limited

Website

https://ctuil.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Central Transmission Utility of India Limited (CTUIL) is the statutory Central Transmission Utility, a wholly owned subsidiary of POWERGRID, responsible for planning, coordinating, and granting non-discriminatory open access to India's Inter-State Transmission System across five regional grids since 2021.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Power Transmission Utility Services

NAICS

Electric Power Distribution (221122)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

National & Regional TSOs (ISO/RTO/Grid Operators) (EUADAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cross-Border Interconnectors & Regional Transmission Coordination (EUADAAAB)

Keywords

• Inter-state transmission
• Power grid planning
• Electricity transmission utility
• Transmission open access
• ISTS coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Haryana

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Inter-State Transmission Charges: CTUIL, as the CTU, is responsible for raising transmission bills, collecting transmission charges, and disbursing amounts to ISTS transmission licensees in proportion to their Yearly Transmission Charges (YTC) as determined by CERC. The charges are shared among Designated ISTS Customers (DICs) including generating stations, State Transmission Utilities, distribution licensees, SEBs/successor companies, state electricity departments, and entities with Medium Term Open Access or Long Term Access to ISTS. This is governed by the CERC (Sharing of Inter-State Transmission Charges and Losses) Regulations, 2020. CTUIL acts as billing, collection, and disbursement (BCD) agent for the entire inter-state transmission network.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CTUIL is the statutory Central Transmission Utility of India responsible for planning, coordinating, and granting non-discriminatory open access to the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS). It performs billing, collection, and disbursement (BCD) of inter-state transmission charges among ISTS users as per CERC regulations, and acts as nodal agency for PM Gati Shakti, TBCB project administration, and cross-border electricity interconnections.

Product overview

Central Transmission Utility of India Limited (CTUIL) operates as a unified platform offering multiple interconnected services for India's Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS). The core product portfolio includes CTU Urja Meter (real-time monitoring dashboard), Connectivity & GNA Application Portal, Connectivity Monitoring Portal, and PMU Portal - all accessible through the main ctuil.in platform. Supporting functions include ISTS Planning & Coordination, Open Access Services, Billing/Collection/Disbursement (BCD), Communication & Metering System, TBCB Administration, Gati Shakti monitoring, and Project Monitoring services. These services work together to enable transmission of electricity through ISTS, grant non-discriminatory open access, process applications via NSWS, and coordinate with stakeholders across India's power grid.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ISTS Planning & Coordination Planning and coordination services for Inter-State Transmission System including scheme identification, stakeholder consultation, and rolling plan development for transmission capacity addition, provided to generating stations, state utilities, and transmission service providers.
• Open Access Services (Connectivity & GNA) Nodal agency services for grant of non-discriminatory open access to ISTS through Connectivity and General Network Access (GNA), including application processing and regulatory compliance for generating stations, RE developers, and bulk consumers.
• Billing, Collection & Disbursement (BCD) Commercial functions including raising transmission bills, collection of transmission charges from Designated ISTS Customers (DICs), and disbursement to ISTS transmission licensees as per CERC regulations.
• TBCB Administration Nodal Agency services for administration of Transmission Service Agreement (TSA) for Tariff Based Competitive Bidding projects, including coordination among TSPs, Independent Engineer appointment, Survey Report preparation, and technical inputs during bidding.
• CTU Urja Meter Real-time monitoring dashboard and portal for tracking transmission system metrics, grid performance, and operational data, made available to stakeholders and the public.
• Connectivity & GNA Application Portal Online portal for applying for Connectivity and General Network Access (GNA) to the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS), processed through the National Single Window System (NSWS) for generating stations, RE developers, and bulk consumers.
• Connectivity Monitoring Portal Portal for monitoring the status of connectivity applications, project stages, and compliance requirements for ISTS elements, provided to TSPs, generation developers, and grid operators.
• PMU Portal Portal for Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) data management and monitoring, providing centralized supervision for quick fault detection and restoration of ISTS communication for TSPs and grid operators.
• ISTS Communication & Metering System Planning and coordination for development of reliable national communication system for ISTS, including UNMS (Unified National Microwave Communications) for centralized supervision, fault detection, and Intelligent Electronic Metering (IEM) for ISTS utilities.
• PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan Monitoring Nodal agency services for monitoring ISTS capacity addition under PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, integrating development of major infrastructure projects in a holistic manner.

Quantifiable outcome

• 172.5 GW of renewable energy capacity (including large hydro) integrated into ISTS, representing approximately 41% of total installed electricity generating capacity in India
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• POWERGRID (Power Grid Corporation of India Limited)coreOthers · 1 April 2021CTUIL functions as a wholly owned subsidiary of POWERGRID, effective 01.04.2021, pursuant to Ministry of Power Gazette Notification dated 09.03.2021. POWERGRID serves as the parent company, and CTUIL undertakes and discharges all functions of CTU under the Electricity Act 2003 within the POWERGRID corporate structure. The 100th TSA milestone was achieved with POWERGRID as the transmission developer. POWERGRID's leadership (CMD, Directors) participate in CTUIL events and governance.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• National Grid Electricity System Operator: National Grid ESO operates Great Britain's electricity transmission system with statutory independence, balancing supply and demand in real time. Its function as a national transmission system operator with planning and coordination responsibilities is structurally similar to CTUIL's role in India.
• ERCOT: ERCOT manages the electric grid and wholesale electricity market for approximately 90% of Texas's load. As an independent system operator with statutory authority over transmission planning and reliability coordination, ERCOT is directly comparable to CTUIL's role as India's CTU.
• Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO): MISO is a Regional Transmission Organization and independent system operator managing the high-voltage transmission grid across 15 U.S. states and the Canadian province of Manitoba. MISO's planning, coordination, and open access functions closely mirror CTUIL's ISTS responsibilities across India's five regional grids.
• PJM Interconnection: PJM is a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) in the United States that coordinates wholesale electricity markets and operates the high-voltage transmission grid across 13 states. Like CTUIL, PJM is a statutory independent system operator with planning, coordination, and open access functions across a multi-state jurisdiction.
• TenneT: TenneT is a leading European Transmission System Operator operating high-voltage grids in the Netherlands and Germany and is playing a central role in North Sea offshore wind integration. Its mandate as a national/regional TSO with planning and cross-border coordination is directly comparable to CTUIL's ISTS functions.
• ISO New England: ISO New England operates the region's bulk electric power system and wholesale electricity markets across six U.S. states. Its role as an independent transmission system operator with planning and reliability coordination parallels CTUIL's statutory mandate.
• RTE (Réseau de Transport d'Électricité): RTE operates France's high-voltage electricity transmission system as a regulated independent TSO. Its planning, operation, and coordination of the national grid, including cross-border interconnection management, is closely analogous to CTUIL's ISTS mandate.
• California Independent System Operator (CAISO): CAISO operates the high-voltage transmission grid and wholesale electricity markets across California. It functions as an independent system operator with planning, reliability coordination, and open access responsibilities analogous to CTUIL's ISTS mandate.
• Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO): AEMO manages Australia's National Electricity Market and operates the power system across multiple jurisdictions. Its combined system operator, market operator, and transmission planning functions are closely analogous to CTUIL's integrated role for India's ISTS.

Broad incumbents

• Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID): POWERGRID is CTUIL's parent company and India's largest electric power transmission utility, owning and operating the majority of the ISTS infrastructure. While POWERGRID builds, owns, and operates transmission assets, CTUIL plans and coordinates the system; the two are deeply intertwined through overlapping leadership and shared strategic mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CTUIL_India
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/central-transmission-utility-of-india-limited

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Central Transmission Utility of India