MNRE announces its achievements & initiatives taken in the year 2014-15

MNRE has announced the list of its achievements & initiatives taken by the ministry in last one year on the eve of NDA government completing one year of being into power. Many achievements and launch of several foundational initiatives took place towards realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of 24x7 affordable power for all.

Last year’s milestones include, lowest ever power deficit in India’s history – 3.6%, highest ever power capacity addition – 22,566 MW, highest ever increase in transmission line capacity – 22,100 circuit kilometres, highest ever increase in sub-station capacity – 66,554 MVA and highest ever coal production increase by Coal India – 32 million tons.

Also power generation growth was highest in 20 years – 8.4%, coal production growth highest in 23 years – 8.3% and solar capacity increased by 42%.

Future plans launched include more than 5 times increase in renewable energy capacity to 175,000 MW by 2022 (Organized Renewables Financing Conference, RE-Invest 2015 which attracted commitments of 273,000 MW), 5 new UMPPs in plug-n-play mode(total 20,000 MW), reduction in peak load shortages through revival of stranded gas based power plants through transparent e-bidding, Rs. 1.09 lakh crore investment in sub-transmission and distribution through Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) and Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) and Rs. 1 lakh crore of new transmission projects to be bid out in the current year.

Clean energy will be prioritised with 25 solar parks of about 100 MW each planned & a Rs 38,000 crore green energy corridor being set up to transmit renewable energy.

All bulbs to be replaced with LEDs over next three years resulting in huge savings in power bills for consumers while proposed amendments to Electricity Act will give consumers power to choose and change power supplier with competition improving affordability and service.

Focus on development of backward regions is our government priority. Investment of Rs. 9,865 crore approved for upgrading power systems in 8 North Eastern states (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura). Transmission line approved with investment of Rs 26,000 crore to evacute power to southern region from western region.