Withdrawal of abeyance orders revives delayed solar and wind projects following Madras High Court intervention

Chennai, July 2026: Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited has resumed issuing No Objection Certificates for renewable energy projects that were previously kept in abeyance during a state government review of the approval process.

The decision is expected to provide significant relief to renewable energy developers whose solar and wind projects had been delayed because of pending approvals and grid-connectivity clearances. TNGECL has begun withdrawing the earlier abeyance orders and processing eligible applications.

High Court Intervention Clears the Way

The resumption follows an interim order from the Madras High Court staying TNGECL’s communication that had placed upcoming solar and wind projects on hold.

The court’s intervention came after SunPro Renewable Energy Private Limited challenged TNGECL’s decision. The petitioner argued that the suspension of clearances was arbitrary and could cause substantial financial losses after developers had already invested in land, equipment, infrastructure and bank guarantees.

The High Court granted interim relief after considering the potential financial consequences of delaying projects that had already received approvals or reached advanced stages of development.

Over 1,100 MW of Renewable Capacity Affected

The review had placed 226 solar project applications with a combined capacity of approximately 736.5 MW in abeyance.

Substation connectivity approvals were also delayed for seven wind energy projects with a total capacity of approximately 400 MW. Together, the affected solar and wind projects represented around 1,136.5 MW of potential renewable energy capacity.

The delayed applications were linked primarily to projects processed between March 1 and May 19, 2026.

Several renewable energy developers had raised concerns that continued delays could affect commissioning schedules, financing commitments, power-generation opportunities and Tamil Nadu’s renewable energy targets.

Review of Renewable Energy Approvals

The renewable energy applications were placed on hold after Electricity and Law Minister R. Nirmalkumar alleged irregularities in the process through which approvals had been issued to certain solar and wind projects.

The state government directed TNGECL to conduct a detailed review of the approvals before allowing the projects to proceed.

The review also resulted in the suspension of senior officials connected with the approval process. TNGECL maintained that the temporary halt was intended to strengthen transparency, compliance and accountability within the renewable energy clearance system.

TNGECL Withdraws Abeyance Orders

Following the High Court’s interim stay, TNGECL began withdrawing the abeyance orders issued against eligible renewable energy applications.

In one of the orders, TNGECL’s Non-Conventional Energy Sources division stated that the suspension relating to the project’s load-flow study had been withdrawn, allowing the application to be processed further.

Project developers have been directed to comply with the applicable technical and safety provisions prescribed by the Central Electricity Authority before receiving final clearances.

The renewed issuance of NOCs will allow developers to move forward with activities such as:

• Project construction and commissioning
• Grid-connectivity approvals
• Load-flow studies
• Substation connectivity
• Power evacuation arrangements
• Technical compliance assessments
• Renewable power generation

Renewable Energy Industry Welcomes Decision

The Renewable Energy Producers Association welcomed TNGECL’s decision to resume processing solar and wind project applications.

The association said the withdrawal of the abeyance orders would provide much-needed momentum to Tamil Nadu’s renewable energy industry and help increase the state’s installed green power capacity.

REPA also urged the authorities to accelerate the development of a dedicated online portal for renewable energy project applications. The proposed portal could improve transparency, enable application tracking and reduce delays in future approval processes.

Supporting Tamil Nadu’s Green Energy Growth

Tamil Nadu has a strong renewable energy base, particularly in solar and wind power. Timely regulatory approvals are essential for converting proposed capacity into operational projects and ensuring that completed installations can begin supplying electricity to the grid.

Resuming the NOC process is expected to improve investor confidence, reduce uncertainty for developers and support the timely utilisation of existing project investments.

The revival of delayed projects could also contribute to:

• Higher renewable energy generation
• Improved grid availability
• Reduced dependence on fossil-fuel-based electricity
• Greater private investment in clean energy
• Employment creation across renewable projects
• Progress towards state and national climate targets

Need for a Transparent Approval System

Industry stakeholders have highlighted the need for a transparent, technology-enabled and time-bound renewable energy approval process.

A centralised online system could allow developers to submit documents, monitor application progress, respond to compliance requirements and receive approvals without unnecessary administrative delays.

Such a system could also help TNGECL maintain consistent records, improve accountability and ensure that renewable energy projects comply with technical, financial and regulatory standards.

The withdrawal of the abeyance orders marks an important step towards restoring activity across Tamil Nadu’s renewable energy sector. The timely processing of the affected solar and wind projects will now be critical to ensuring that the delayed capacity becomes operational without further disruption.