India to Enhance Power Generation Capacity to 131.3 GW by 2022: R K Singh

India will add 131.31 GW of power generation capacity from 2019 to 2022, informed Union Minister of State for Power and New and Renewable Energy, R K Singh in a written reply in the Parliament.

“Based on the present readiness of projects, the likely power generation capacity addition from 2019 to 2022 is likely to be 1,31,316 MW,” Singh wrote in his reply to the Rajya Sabha.

India’s total installed power generation capacity was 3,56,817.6 MW as on May 31, 2019. He further that in 2018-19, all India electrical energy requirement was 1274.59 Billion Units (BU) and energy supplied was 1267.52 BU. The all India peak demand was 177.022 GW and peak demand met was 175.528 GW for 2018-19 (shortage of 0.6 percent).

As per ‘National Electricity Plan – Generation’ issued in January 2018, the projected peak demand is 226 GW and energy requirement is estimated at 1,566 BU at the end of 2021-22. The Plan projected peak demand at 299 GW and energy requirement at 2,047 BU at the end of 2026-27.

The minister expressed the House that as per studies steered during 2003-2014, a total of 200 potential sites for coal and lignite-based power capacity aggregating to around 4,04,905 MW and gas-based capacity of 24,000 MW have been identified in the country. The total hydroelectric potential of the country in terms of capacity is assessed at 1,48,701 MW.

Renewable energy potential in India is estimated at 8,96,602 MW comprising 7,48,991 MW of solar power, 1,02,772 MW of wind power, 19,749 MW of small hydropower and 25,090 MW of bio-energy.

Previously this month, R K Singh appealed with confidence that the renewable energy target of 175 gigawatts (GW) by 2022 would be accomplished. Singh, who took the charge of the ministries in the second term of Modi government, said 80GW of renewable energy has been established while another 24GW is under installation.

“The overall renewable energy established capacity has reached 80,000 MW level. 24,000 MW is under installation. For 42,000 MW, bids are at different stages. So, the total is 1,46,000 MW and the target is for 1,75,000 MW (175 GW),” he said. “We will achieve the target,” Singh emphasized. Elaborating on priorities, he said the top priority will remain to achieve the targets set by the government.