India to Add 131.31 GW of Power Generation Capacity till 2022: R K Singh

India will add 131.31 GW of power generation capacity from 2019 to 2022, the Parliament was informed in a written reply from R K Singh.

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

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

India’s total installed power generation capacity was 3,56,817.6 MW as on May 31, 2019. He added 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 told the House that as per studies conducted 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.

Earlier this month, R K Singh claimed with confidence that the renewable energy target of 175 gigawatts (GW) by 2022 would be achieved. 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.

Recently, while speaking at the 17th meeting of International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Council being held in Abu Dhabi, the MNRE Secretary Aanand Kumar said that India is planning to add 500 GW of renewable energy to its electricity mix by 2030.