The country could add only 480 mw of new capacity in
January, only a sixth of what was targeted for the
month. Unless the next two months achieve
turnaround, the fourth quarter could see reversal of
improvement in the pace that had gathered to 4,795 mw in
the third quarter, from 2,870 mw in Q2 and 2,065 mw in Q1.
The feat has lifted the total capacity commissioned during
the first ten months of the current fiscal to 10,211 mw, 58
per cent of 177,48 mw planned for the period.
The net capacity addition in public utilities till January in
the ongoing XI Plan period amounted to 28,873 mw,
comprising 25,280 mw of thermal, 2,713 mw of hydro
(renewable) and 880 mw of nuclear power. The renewable
energy sources (grid-connected) including small hydro
power, biomass gas/power and wind energy, etc whose
estimates are sourced from Ministry of Renewable Energy
(MNRE) contributed 9,026 mw. The addition to stock of
public utilities has already exceeded 21,151 mw added
during the X Plan period and 18,524 mw in the IX Plan.
Renewable energy, a star performer, has in fact already
surpassed the climb in earlier plan by 50 per cent.
The total stock of installed generating capacity at the end
of January worked out to 170,229 mw; of which thermal
power comprised 111,294 mw, large hydro power 37,637
mw, nuclear 4,780 mw and RES 16,787 mw. Grid connected
captive generating capacity contributed another 19,509
mw. The State government-owned power plants accounted
for 48 per cent total installed capacity, followed by 31 per
cent in Central government owned plants and 21 per cent in
private sector plants. In RES, private sector accounted for
83 per cent of total capacity of 16,787 mw, while nuclear
power is exclusively with Central government.
Power transmission: The capacity addition of 28,031
ckm (circuit km) to 400kV transmission lines and 18,633
ckm to 220kV transmission lines till January in the ongoing
XI Plan has already exceeded their respective additions
during the 10th Plan. Likewise, additions in terms of
transformation capacity in 400kV and 220kV substations
have also surpassed their X Plan augmentations.
Power deficit: The average deficit worked out
provisionally to 7.6 per cent in January, lower compared to
8.2 per cent in December, which had reversed the declining
trend of past two months that had brought down the deficit
to 6.5 per cent in November. Deficit during the first ten
months of the current fiscal worked out to 8.6 per cent,
inferior compared to 9.9 per cent in the corresponding
period a year ago, and 11 per cent in this period two years
back. In fact, after running higher till August, relative to
year ago levels, power deficit has tended to be less severe
than year-ago levels in the subsequent five months.
Cumulative peak demand level deficit worked out to 11.1
per cent, against 12.6 per cent in the similar period last year
and 13.8 per cent two years back. Lower power shortage
could be reflective of a slowing economy as growth in
generation during the period was lower than that a year ago.
Among the regions, Western region faced 13.4 per cent
average deficit, much higher than the average for the
country. Northern region faced 8.3 per cent deficit.
Southern region and the eastern region faced 5.2 per cent
and 4.4 per cent deficit, respectively.
Power Sector Performance in XI Plan period |
Parameter |
Unit |
2007-08 |
2008-09 |
2009-10 |
2010-11 |
|
|
(Apr-Mar) |
(Apr-Jan) |
| Capacity addition |
mw |
9,263 |
3,454 |
9,585 |
10,211 |
| Power generation |
Twh |
704 |
724 |
772 |
669 |
| Peak power deficit |
per cent |
9.8 |
11.0 |
10.1 |
8.6 |