New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS) 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.

Thermal capacities of around 17,360 MW have already been commissioned since April 2023 till January 20, 2026.

In addition, 39,545 MW of thermal capacity (including 4,845 MW of stressed thermal power projects) is currently under construction.

“The contracts of 22,920 MW have been awarded and are due for construction. Further, 24,020 MW of coal and lignite-based candidate capacity has been identified, which is at various stages of planning in the country,” Naik said.

About 12,973.5 MW of hydroelectric projects are under construction. Further, 4,274 MW of hydroelectric projects are under various stages of planning and targeted to be completed by 2031-32. Also, 6,600 MW of nuclear capacity is under construction and targeted to be completed by 2029-30, while another about 7,000 MW is under various stages of planning and approval.

Notably, 1,57,800 MW renewable capacity, including 67,280 MW of solar, 6,500 MW of wind, and 60,040 MW of hybrid power, is under construction, while 48,720 MW of renewable capacity, including 35,440 MW of solar and 11,480 MW of hybrid power, is at various stages of planning and targeted to be completed by 2029-30.

–IANS

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