Recently Ministry of Power (MoP) has proposed to add around 76,000 MW of power generation capacity during the 12th five year plan (2012-17).
The proposal came at the time when the whole power sector struggles with the acute fuel shortage (coal, gas etc)
However, we found that the Planning Commission is unwilling to agree with the MoP’s proposal and want to significantly increase the same.
According to Mr. B. K. Chaturvedi, Planning Commission Member (Energy)
"According to the Approach to the 12th Five-Year Plan, the commission is eyeing a power capacity creation of about 1,00,000 MW in the five years. ... If there is a shortfall, let there be a shortfall but we cannot keep the targets in a manner that we don't meet the requirements of the economy, The Power Ministry has proposed adding 76,000 MW during the 12th Plan, stating that there is scarcity of coal to meet the needs of thermal power plants which are the major source of electricity.Coal availability, if to that extent does not get sorted out, we would try to see what we can import and ultimately try to meet those targets”
As per the Commission's estimates, the country's energy supply needs to grow at 6.5 per cent annually if the nation wants to achieve annual economic growth of 9 per cent during the Plan period.
The Power Ministry had set a target of adding 78,577 MW of generation capacity for the 11th Plan (2007-12), but the target was revised down to 62,000 MW during the mid-term review. Finally, 53,000 MW generation capacity was added by the end of the Plan period.
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