India's Installed Generation Capacity Reaches 202 Gigawatts

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources India (New Delhi, India)--With the addition of about 3,000 megawatts (MW) of capacity during the first quarter of the current financial year, India's installed generation base has increased to 202,979.03 MW, exceeding the 200-gigawatt (GW) mark, following the U.S., China, Russia and Japan.

As of May 31, 2012, the thermal power plants in India, which are powered by fossil fuels such as coal, gas and diesel, account for 134,635.18 MW, or approximately 66.32% of the total installed capacity, according to a report released by Central Electricity Authority (CEA) (Delhi), India's state-owned power agency. Hydro power plants, with an aggregate installed capacity of 39,060.4 MW, constitute 19.24% of the total capacity, while nuclear power units, at an installed capacity of 4,780 MW, contribute only 2.35%. The share of renewable power capacity stands at 12.07%.

As per the report, the western region of the country, which consists of major states like Gujarat and Maharashtra, has the highest installed capacity, at 64,954.24 MW. The western region is followed by the northern region, which consists of heavy power-consuming states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and the national capital of Delhi and has about 55,655.9 MW in its installed generation base.

The next in line is the southern region, which includes major states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala and has a capacity of 53,011.93 MW.

The northeastern region of India, which consists of seven states, has an installed capacity of 2,454.94 MW, the least among major regions of the country, constituting 1.2% of India's aggregate.

Meanwhile, the installed capacity of the eastern region stands at 26,825.91 MW. The installed generation capacity of the island regions stands at 76.12 MW, which is 0.03% of the total capacity. The grid-connected captive generating capacity of the country totals 24,503.45 MW.

India's installed generation capacity has increased from 66 GW in 1991 to 185 GW in 2011, registering a growth of 280%. 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.

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