Ministry to miss targeted power generation capacity by 35%

04 February, 2013

According to latest Central Electricity Authority (CEA) report, the country has been able to achieve only 54.88% of its annual target in first three quarters of the year. The targets may not exceed 65% by the end of current financial year.

The current year’s target of adding 17956.3 MW comprised 15154.3 MW of thermal power, 2000MW nuclear power and 802 MW of hydro power. The total thermal power generation has been 9505 MW by end December against schedules 11998 MW. This is 62.72 % of its annual target.

There may be no addition of nuclear power from Kudankulam nuclear power plant in this financial year as hydro tests are being repeated. The four units of 240 MW Uri hydro projects were scheduled to be commissioned by December and not even one unit has been synchronized as of now.

It may be added that the Ministry of Power has set a target of adding 75,785 MW capacity in the 12th five plan. According to the official estimates, only 61.5% or 11,050.3 MW of the current year's capacity addition target of 17,956.3 MW will be possible by March 2013.

The performance of the central and state sector units has not been encouraging. As per the report, central sector has added 2924 MW against scheduled 5038 MW, and state sector has added 1365 MW out of 2135 MW by December end. The private sector achieved 86 % of target by adding 5565 MW against schedule of 6455 MW.

Most of the power generation capacity addition in the country takes place through the thermal route. It will be more than 95% of total capacity addition for the financial year.

There have been delays on the part of BHEL in supplying equipment. BHEL has commissioned only 3,270 MW capacities against the target of 5,413.3 and the Chinese companies have managed to commission 6,235 MW against the target of 6,585 MW.