Govt adds 289.6 GW to overcome power deficiency since 2014
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New Delhi: While India's current installed power generation capacity stands at 513.730 GW, the government addressed the critical issue of power deficiency by adding 289.607 GW of fresh generation capacity since April 2014 -- transforming the country from power deficit to power sufficient, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.
Minister of State for Power, Shripad Naik, said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha that the country successfully met the all-time maximum demand of 250 GW last year.
He further informed that the gap between ‘Energy Supplied’ and ‘Energy Requirement’ has declined from 0.5 per cent during FY 2022-23 to ‘NIL’ during the current year. "Similarly, the peak demand not met has declined from 4.0 per cent during 2022-23 to almost 'NIL'during the current year," the minister said.
According to the National Electricity Plan (NEP), installed generation capacity in 2031-32 is likely to be 874 GW. The minister said that with a view to ensuring generation capacity remains ahead of projected peak demand, all the states, in consultation with CEA, have prepared their "Resource Adequacy Plans (RAPs)", which are dynamic 10-year rolling plans and include power generation as well as power procurement planning.
The projected thermal (coal and lignite) capacity requirement by the year 2034–35 is estimated at approximately 3,07,000 MW as against the 2,11,855 MW installed capacity (as on 31.03.2023).
To meet this requirement, the Ministry of Power has envisaged setting up an additional minimumof 97,000 MW coal and lignite-based thermal capacity, the minister said.
