The Power Ministry has so far awarded more than half of the cumulative 80 gigawatts (GW) of thermal power capacity required till 2032.

During the first 100 days, the Ministry awarded 12.8 GW of coal-fired capacity. Another 28.4 GW is under construction out of the targeted additional capacity of 80 GW to be installed by FY2032, Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal told reporters.

Power Minister Manohar Lal emphasised that while India aggressively pursues energy transition goals, ensuring energy security remains paramount.

He said that to meet the peak demand and base load requirements of a rapidly expanding economy, the Ministry has prioritised thermal capacity addition.

Currently, the total thermal capacity of coal and lignite-based power plants stands at 217 GW. In addition, 28.4 GW capacity is under construction, out of which 14 GW capacity is likely to be commissioned by FY25, he added.

Further, 58.4 GW is at various stages of; planning, statutory clearances and bidding. Also, in the last 100 days, Manohar Lal said.

Energy transition

The Minister informed that India has taken a major step toward a greener future with the introduction of two new building codes, the Energy Conservation and Sustainable Building Code (ECSBC) for commercial buildings and the Eco Niwas Samhita (ENS) for residential buildings.

The revised codes apply to large commercial buildings and multi-storied residential complexes with a connected electricity load of 100 kW or more, which means the codes will impact big offices, shopping malls, and apartment buildings and will help in further reduction of 18 per cent electricity consumption, he added. 

Besides, it incorporates sustainability features related to natural cooling, ventilation, water, and wastewater disposal. States may adopt these building codes.

This was part of the Ministry’s target for the first 100 days. In the first 100 days the scope of budgetary support for the cost of enabling infrastructure for hydro power projects and Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) has been expanded. 

In addition to roads and bridges, the support now includes financing for transmission lines, ropeways, railway sidings, and communication infrastructure. 

Projects exceeding 200 megawatt (MW) will receive Rs 0.75 crore per MW of support, while projects up to 200 MW will receive Rs 1 crore per MW. 

Hydro projects with a capacity exceeding 25 MW, including private sector projects, awarded before July 1, 2028, are eligible for this support. The implementation period is from FY25 to FY32. The total outlay for the scheme is Rs 12,461 crore. This will support the development of 31 GW hydro potential including 15 GW of PSPs.

“India has PSP potential of more than 184 GW. We have planned to add 39 GW of PSP capacity by 2030 to address storage and grid stability needs, he added. Presently, 4.7 GW has been installed. Around 6.47 GW capacity is under construction, 60 GW is under various stages of survey and investigation. Contracts for additional 3.77 GW of PSP have now been awarded,” the Minister added.

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