India's 26.3 GW data-center demand: 17 GW is already filed with the grid

India’s Ministry of Power told the Rajya Sabha that, as of May 14, 2026, the Central Electricity Authority projects 26.3 GW of additional data-centre electricity demand by 2031-32 across 11 major states. The more actionable detail sits inside that headline. Of the pipeline, about 17 GW has already lodged connectivity applications with State Transmission Utilities, versus 9.3 GW that has not. That split — filed grid demand against still-planned load — is the distinction that separates near-term transmission capex from later-stage upside.

• DAE opens SHANTI nuclear rules consultation, naming data centres – India’s draft SHANTI Rules explicitly permit captive nuclear generation for data centres, with comments due September 4, 2026.
• Draft SHANTI Rules propose a single composite nuclear licence – one licence covers build, own, operate and decommission, though AERB approvals stay mandatory across every phase.
• Modi flags data centres as a major power-demand driver – his August 15, 2026 Independence Day speech tied chips, AI and data centres to “enormous amounts of electricity” and a 100 GW nuclear target by 2047.
• India’s solar capacity has risen from 2 GW to 160 GW – an 80x increase over twelve years, per the official Independence Day highlights.
• Vikram Solar reports FY26 revenue of ₹4,802 crore – up 40% year over year, with EBITDA of ₹917 crore, up 86%.
• Vikram Solar commissions its 6 GW Gangaikondan module plant – the first module rolled out on July 6, 2026 in Tamil Nadu.
• Vikram Solar enlarges its wafer-ingot plan to 9 GW – disclosed investment rises to up to ₹5,589 crore, with commissioning targeted by FY29.