India Power Generation crosses 2 L MW

ENERGISED! Capacity addition in 11th Plan close to that achieved in last 15 years

Amidst the ongoing coal and power shortages, India’s power generation capacity has crossed another important benchmark of 2 lakh mega watt (MW).

“With the commissioning of a 660-MW unit of a power plant in Jhajjar, Haryana, the country’s installed capacity has reached 2,00,287 MW,” said a statement from the power ministry.

Of the total installed capacity of 2,00,287 MW, around1,32,013 MW is coal based, 38,991 MW is hydro power, 4,780 MW nuclear and 24,503 MW of renewable power.

The power capacity addition during the last fiscal year (201112) alone stood at 20,501 MW capacity, out of which 5,482 MW was added in March alone.

“Power generation capacity is a challenge to the country if it has to achieve a 8%-plus growth rate and hence a lot of emphasis was placed in the 11th Plan on the timely capacity addition,” power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde had told HT earlier.

During the 11th Plan, there was a capacity addition of 53,122 MW, more than two-and-a-half times of the 21,180 MW added during the 10th Plan.

 Source: HT 14th April 12