The project, comprising a 30-kilometre (km) overhead line and a 50-km underground corridor, has been designed to operate within the constraints of a densely built urban environment. It also features the world’s first compact HVDC substation.
Conceived in the aftermath of the October 2020 Mumbai blackout, which exposed vulnerabilities in the city’s power supply, the project reflects a broader push to strengthen grid resilience and reliability.
At its core, the link enables Mumbai and the MMR to draw more electricity from outside the city, including renewable energy generated in other regions. While Mumbai is already connected to the national grid, the HVDC link enhances this connectivity by enabling more controlled, efficient, and higher-capacity power flows, particularly for renewable energy integration.