Lok Sabha Question No. 1655 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-11
Subject: Capacity Utilisation of Power Grids
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Gowdar Mallikarjunappa Siddeshwara

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1655 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.02.2021

## CAPACITY UTILISATION OF POWER GRIDS

1655.  SHRI G.M. SIDDESHWAR:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to introduce new policies to boost the generation of hydro power and electricity from bio-mass and bio-fuel;

- (b) if so, the details thereof;

- (c) the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  check  the  transmission  bottlenecks  and losses incurred thereby; and

- (d) the reforms being brought in distribution and transmission of energy to achieve capacity utilisation of power grids?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER, NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

( SHRI  R.K. SINGH)

- (a)    &  (b)  :    Policy  framework  is  already  in  place  to  promote  generation  of  hydropower  and electricity from bio-mass and bio-fuel. They are:

- (I) For  boosting  the  generation  of  Hydro  Power,  the  Government  of  India  on  8 th March, 2019, approved a number of measures for promoting hydropower sector in the country which are as under:

- i. Declaring  Large  Hydro  Power  (LHPs)  (>  25  MW  projects)  as  Renewable  Energy source.

- ii. Hydro Purchase Obligation (HPO) as a separate entity within Non-Solar Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO).

- iii. Tariff rationalization measures for bringing down hydro power tariff.

- iv. Budgetary Support for Flood Moderation/Storage Hydro Electric Projects (HEPs).

- v. Budgetary Support to Cost of Enabling Infrastructure, i.e. roads/bridges.

- a) Rs. 1.5 crore per MW for projects upto 200 MW.

- b) Rs. 1.0 crore per MW for projects above 200 MW.

………2.

- (II) For promotion of Biomass based generation, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing the following schemes:
- (a)               Biomass  based  cogeneration  in  sugar  mills  and  other  industries  (up  to March  2021).  Under  the  scheme  central  financial  assistance  is  provided  to  eligible projects  producing  power  from  all  types  of  biomass  like  bagasse,  rice  husk,  rice stubble etc.
- (b) 'Programme on Energy from Urban, Industrial, Agricultural Wastes/Residues  and  Municipal  Solid  Wastes''  (upto  March,  2021)  for  promotion  of setting up of projects of Biogas/Bio-CNG/Power/Producer gas from Urban, agricultural and  Industrial  Wastes  and  Power  generation  project  from  Municipal  Solid  Waste. Under  the  scheme  financial  assistance  is  provided  for  setting  up  Waste  to  Energy plants

(c) Biogas based Power Generation (Off-Grid) & Thermal energy application Programme (BPGTP) under decentralized Off-Grid Renewable Power Programme with the objective of providing clean energy solutions through biogas production to reduce consumption of diesel and kerosene by installation of medium size biogas plants of size ranging from 30 M 3  to 2500 M 3  per day with power generation installed capacity range of 3 KW to 250 KW.

The schemes have recently been evaluated. Based on the recommendations of the evaluation, proposal for continuation of the above schemes beyond March 2021 has been initiated in the Ministry.

In addition to this, Ministry of Power, Government of India has also brought out the policy for biomass utilization for power generation through co-firing in pulverized coal fired boilers. As per the policy, all fluidized bed and pulverized coal units (coal based thermal power plants) except those having ball and tube mill, of power generating utilities, public or private, located in India shall endeavour to use 5-10% blend of biomass pellets, made primarily, of agro residue along with coal after assessing the technical feasibility, viz. safety aspects, etc.

- (c) : Sufficient transmission capacity has been planned in the country for evacuation of  power  from  generating  stations  to  the  load  centres.  Planning  of  transmission  system (transmission lines and associated substations) for the period 2017-22, to meet the projected peak electricity demand of 225.7 GW (as per 19 th  Electric Power Survey Report) during 2021-22 has already been done.

Transmission systems under operation are monitored by State/Regional/ National Load Dispatch Centers and the bottlenecks arising if any, are addressed as part of coordinated transmission planning process on a case to case basis.

- (d) : Electricity  is  a  concurrent  subject.    Most  Distribution  Companies  are  owned  by the respective State Government.  It is the responsibility of distribution licensees to plan their distribution system so as to provide 24x7 reliable power to all the consumers and to achieve capacity utilization of their power Distribution Grids.

……….3.

Planning  of  transmission  system  is  carried  out  for  different  load  generation scenarios keeping in view the reliability aspects and the future load growth, while ensuring the optimum utilization of existing transmission assets.

Further, Government of India through its various ongoing schemes in the rural and urban areas of Distribution Sector like Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA) and Integrated Power Development Scheme  (IPDS) has facilitated strengthening and augmentation  of sub-transmission  & distribution infrastructure, including IT enablement of Urban distribution sector, construction of HT and LT lines, metering at distribution transformers, feeders and consumers and feeder segregation, etc.

These  schemes,  at  present,  are  at  advanced  stage  of  completion  and  are targeted for completion by 2022.

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