India's Installed Generation Capacity Grows to 243 Gigawatts

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources India (Delhi, India)--With the addition of about 16 gigawatts (GW) of capacity during the last two quarters of the 2013-14 financial year, India's installed power generation base has increased to 243,028.95 megawatts (MW).

Thermal power plants, which are powered by fossil fuels such as coal, gas and diesel, account for 168,254.99 MW, or approximately 69.2% of the total installed capacity, according to a report released by India's Central Electricity Authority (CEA) (New Delhi). Hydropower plants, with an aggregate installed capacity of 40,531.41 MW, constitute 16.6% of the total capacity, while nuclear power units, at an installed capacity of 4,780 MW, contribute only 1.96%. The share of renewable power capacity stands at 12.1%.

According to the report, the western region of the country, which consists of major states like Gujarat and Maharashtra, has the highest installed capacity, at 87,388.99 MW, followed by the northern region, which consists of high power-consuming states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and the national capital of Delhi, and has about 64,258.13 MW in its installed generation base.

Next is the southern region, which includes major states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, with a capacity of 58329.96 MW. The northeastern region of India, which consists of seven states, has an installed capacity of 2,905.89 MW, the least among major regions of the country, constituting 1.19% of India's aggregate.

Meanwhile, the installed capacity of the eastern region stands at 30,065.61 MW. The installed generation capacity of the island regions stands at 80.37 MW, which is 0.03% of the total capacity.

India's installed generation capacity increased by 280% from 66 GW in 1991 to 185 GW in 2011. Despite the growth in power capacity, India continues to suffer from a substantial shortage of electricity. According to the International Energy Agency's estimates, India needs an investment of at least $135 billion to provide universal access of electricity to its population. India is world's fourth-largest energy consumer after the U.S., China and Russia.