Electric Power Scenario in India

          India, in the year 2013, became the 3rd largest producer of Electric Power, only after China and United States, contributing 4.8% of global share in electricity production. The top 10 electric power producing countries is listed below in the order of their Power producing capacity.

1. China

2. United States

3. India

4. Russia

5. Japan

6. Canada

7. Germany

8. Brazil

9. France

10. South Korea

           The total installed power generation capacity of the Utilities in India is 288 GW available through Renewable power plants that constitute 28% and Non-renewable power plants that constitute remaining 72% of the total installed capacity.

         

On 31st March 2015, the total installed capacity was 271.722 GW available through Thermal power plants (burning coal - 169.118 GW, burning gas - 23.062 GW and burning diesel - 1.2 GW) that constituted 188.898 GW, Nuclear power plants that constituted 5.78 GW and Renewable power plants (Hydel power plants - 41.267 GW, Small hydro - 4.05536 GW, Wind power - 23.444 GW, Biomass Co-generation - 1.41020 GW, Bagasse Co-generation - 3.0083 GW, Waste to Power - 0.11508 GW and Solar Power - 3.74397 GW) that constituted 77.044 GW.  

After one year, the total installed power generation capacity of the Utilities in India has risen to 288 GW. As per the most recent report from the Indian Ministry of Power, as on 18.02.2016, the total installed capacity (288,005 MW) is constituted of Thermal power plants (burning coal - 175,238 MW, burning gas - 24,509 MW and burning oil - 994 MW) that contribute 200,740 MW, Renewable power plants (Hydro) that contribute 42,663 MW, other Renewable power plants (small hydro, waste to Power, Biomass power, Biomass gasifier, solar and wind) that contribute 38,822 MW and Nuclear power plants that contribute 5,780 MW. The report also states that the Central sector contributes 74,807 MW, State sector contributes 97,951 MW and Private sector contributes 115,248 MW towards the total installed capacity of 288,005 MW in India. 

         

          A note from history says, the installed capacity as on 31st December 1947 was 1.362 GW available through Renewable power plants (only Hydel) that constituted 5.08 GW and Non-renewable power plants (only Thermal burning coal and diesel) that constituted 8.54 GW. Thanks for the Indian Government's Power Policies, the total installed capacity of the utilities has grown steadily and reached 288 GW in the the year 2016.

          It is interesting to analyze the region-wise distribution of the installed capacity. The region-wise details furnished here are as of July, 2015. The Western Region has a total installed capacity of 100,137.54 MW. Daman & Diu has the least installed capacity of 48.29 MW in Western Region and Maharashtra has the maximum installed capacity of 38372.83 MW. The Northern Region has a total installed capacity of 73,203.42 MW. Chandigarh has the least installed capacity of 124.06 MW and Rajasthan has the maximum installed capacity of 17,228.55 MW.

          The Southern Region has a total installed capacity of 65,685.90 MW. Puduchery has the least installed capacity of 334.63 MW and Tamilnadu has the maximum installed capacity of 23,104.91 MW. The Eastern Region has a total installed capacity of 33,320.53 MW. Sikkim has the least installed capacity of 318.48 MW and West Bengal has the maximum installed capacity of 9563.84 MW.

        The North Eastern Region has a total installed capacity of 3513.08 MW. Mizoram has the least installed capacity 119.42 MW and Assam has the maximum installed capacity of 1369.45 MW and finally the islands, Lakswadeep and Andaman and Nicobar, the total installed capacity is 51.15 MW. Lakswadeep has an installed capacity of 0.75 MW and Andaman & Nicobar has an installed capacity of 50.40 MW.

 

Please Note: All the values and details furnished in this page are courtesy of Wikipedia and Ministry of Power, Government of India.