India’s power capacity rises 8.4% to over 1 trillion units in 2014-15

Power generation in India during 2014-15 stood at 1,048.403 billion units (or over 1 trillion units) for the first time, on the back of an 8.4 per cent growth in generating capacity over the previous year - the highest growth rate recorded in the last two decades.

The country added 22,566 MW of generation capacity in 2014-15 against a target of 17,830 MW, which is the highest ever achievement in a single year.

Of the 22,566 MW added during the year 2014-15, the contribution of the thermal sector stood at 20,830 MW (92 per cent of the total). This included NTPC's 660 MW unit at Barh in Bihar where the first indigenously manufactured super critical units by BHEL have been commissioned.

The capacity addition during the first three years (2012-13 to 2014-15) of the 12th Plan now stands at 61,014 MW, which has not only exceeded the capacity addition of 54,964 MW of the entire 11th Plan (2007 to 2012) but also constitutes 68.9 per cent of the total 12th Plan target of 88,537 MW.

Against this, the compounded annual growth rate of electricity generation in 1991-92 was around 5-6.6 per cent. Coal-based power projects accounted for 12.1 per cent of the total power generation.

The year 2014-15 also marked a turnaround for the hydro sector with 736 MW contribution in the central sector that included NTPC's maiden contribution and entry in hydro sector with Koldam units. NHPC and SJVNL completed their projects at Parbati III and Rampur respectively.

The gas-based Monarchak Power Plant of 65.4 MW, Agartala ST-II of 25.5 MW and Palatana Unit-II of 363.3 MW were also commissioned during the year in Tripura, which will benefit the entire North East.

Commissioning of Kudankulam Nuclear power station of 1,000 MW during the year will help all the Southern States.

Also, according to a power ministry release, the government has increased its focus on transmission and distribution sector.

A number of steps taken to expedite forest clearances and intensive monitoring of critical transmission lines have helped commission 22,101 circuit kilometers (ckm) of transmission lines during 2014-15 against 16,748ckm commissioned during the same period of the previous year, thus having a growth of 31.96 per cent, which is the highest ever achievement in a single year. This is 106 per cent of the annual target of 20,882 ckm fixed for 2014-15.

Similarly, the overall increase in the transformation capacity has been 65,554 MVA during 2014-15, which constitutes 137 per cent of the target of 47,871MVA fixed for 2014-15 - another record achievement in a single year.