Lok Sabha Question No. 469 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-25
Subject: Expansion of Thermal Power Capacity
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Shri Dhaval Laxmanbhai Patel, Smt. Smita Uday Wagh, Smt. Aparajita Sarangi, Dr. Nishikant Dubey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.469 ANSWERED ON 25.07.2024

## EXPANSION OF THERMAL POWER CAPACITY

469   SHRI DHAVAL LAXMANBHAI PATEL:

SMT. SMITA UDAY WAGH:

SMT. APARAJITA SARANGI:

DR. NISHIKANT DUBEY:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  proposes  for  expansion  of  thermal  power capacity in the country;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  total  estimated  cost  for  expansion  of thermal power capacity;
- (c) the steps taken to reduce dependency on coal-based power plants and to decrease emission levels in such thermal power plants; and
- (d) the  details  of  the  percentage  of  electricity  generated  from  various sources such as coal, gas, hydel and renewable energy since 2014?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER

(SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK)

(a) & (b) : In order to meet the estimated electricity demand by the year 203132,  generation  planning  studies  have  been  carried  out  by  Central  Electricity Authority (CEA). As per the study results, it is envisaged that to meet the base load  requirement  of  the  country  in  2032,  the  required  coal  &  lignite  based installed  capacity  would  be  283  GW  against  the  present  installed  capacity  of 217.5  GW.  Considering  this,  Government  of  India  proposes  to  set  up  an additional minimum 80 GW coal based capacity by 2031-32.

The  estimated  capital  cost  for  setting  up  of  new  coal  based  thermal capacity as considered in National Electricity Plan is Rs 8.34 Cr/ MW (at 2021-22 price  level).  Hence,  the  thermal  capacity  addition  is  expected  to  entail  an expenditure of minimum Rs. 6,67,200 Crs by 2031-32.

(c):  (i)  To  reduce  the  dependency  on  coal  based  thermal  power  plants, Government  of  India  has  planned  to  augment  non-fossil  fuel  based  installed electricity  generation  capacity.  India  in  its  Intended  Nationally  Determined Contributions (INDCs) stands committed to achieve about 50 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources  by  2030.  At  present  India  has  already  achieved  45.5%  Installed Capacity  from  non-fossil  fuel-based  resources.    To  achieve  this  objective, following  steps  have  been  taken  to  promote  Renewable  Energy  Generation  in the country:

-  Permitting  Foreign  Direct  Investment  (FDI)  up  to  100  percent  under  the automatic route;
-  Waiver of Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) charges for inter-state sale of solar and wind power for projects to be commissioned by 30 th  June 2025;
-  Declaration of trajectory for Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) up to the year 2029-30;
-  Setting  up  of  Ultra  Mega  Renewable  Energy  Parks  to  provide  land  and transmission connectivity to Renewable Energy developers for installation of RE projects at large scale;
-  Schemes  such  as  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  Urja  Suraksha  evam  Utthaan Mahabhiyan  (PM-KUSUM),  Solar  Rooftop  Phase  II,  12000  MW  CPSU Scheme Phase II;
-  Laying of new transmission lines and creating new sub-station capacity under  the  Green  Energy  Corridor  Scheme  for  evacuation  of  renewable power;
-  Notification of standards for deployment of solar photovoltaic system/devices.
-  Setting  up  of  Project  Development  Cell  for  attracting  and  facilitating investments;
-  Standard Bidding Guidelines for tariff based competitive bidding process for  procurement  of  Power  from  Grid  Connected  Solar  PV  and  Wind Projects;

……..3.

-  Government  has  issued  orders  that  power  shall  be  dispatched  against Letter  of  Credit  (LC)  or  advance  payment  to  ensure  timely  payment  by distribution licensees to RE generators;
-  Notification of Promoting Renewable Energy through Green Energy Open Access Rules 2022;
-  Launch  of Green  Term  Ahead  Market  (GTAM)  to  facilitate  sale of Renewable Power through exchanges;
-  National Green Hydrogen Mission launched with an aim to make India a global hub for production, utilization and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives; and,
-  Notification  of  prescribed  trajectory  for  RE  power  bids  to  be  issued  by Renewable Energy Implementation Agencies from FY 2023-24 to FY 202728 with an annual target of 50 GW of RE bids.
- (ii) Further, for reduction of emission levels of thermal power plants, following measures have been taken by the Government:
-  MoEF&CC vide notification dated 07.12.2015 and its subsequent amendments has notified norms in respect  of  reducing  stack  emissions such as Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM), SOx & NOx from coal based Thermal  Power  Plants.  To  meet  these  standards,  Thermal  Power  Plants are  using  techniques  like  Electro  Static  Precipitator  (ESP),  Flue  Gas Desulphurization (FGD), NOx Combustion Modification etc.
-  Promotion  of  installation  of  efficient  Supercritical  /Ultra  Supercritical units over Subcritical Thermal Units.
-  Ministry of Power has issued a policy on utilization of Biomass for Power generation  through  co-firing  in  coal  based  power  plants.  The  policy mandates 5-7% co-firing of Biomass primarily of  agro residue  with  coal, after assessing the technical feasibility.
- (d) : The details of the percentage of electricity generated from various sources  such  as  coal,  gas,  hydel  and  renewable  energy  since  2014  is attached as Annexure.

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## ANNEXURE

## ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 469 ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON 25.07.2024

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## Percentage of Electricity Generated From Various Sources

| Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (Up to May, 2024)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (Up to May, 2024)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (Up to May, 2024)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (Up to May, 2024)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (Up to May, 2024)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (Up to May, 2024)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (Up to May, 2024)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (Up to May, 2024)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (Up to May, 2024)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (Up to May, 2024)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (Up to May, 2024)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (Up to May, 2024)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (Up to May, 2024)   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                                  |                                                                  | 2014-15                                                          | 2015-16                                                          | 2016-17                                                          | 2017-18                                                          | 2018-19                                                          | 2019-20                                                          | 2020-21                                                          | 2021-22                                                          | 2022-23                                                          | 2023-24                                                          | 2024-25 (upto May)                                               |
| Source Name                                                      | Source Name                                                      | %of Total Gen                                                    | %of Total Gen                                                    | %of Total Gen                                                    | %of Total Gen                                                    | %of Total Gen                                                    | %of Total Gen                                                    | %of Total Gen                                                    | %of Total Gen                                                    | %of Total Gen                                                    | %of Total Gen                                                    | %of Total Gen                                                    |
|                                                                  | Coal                                                             | 72.08                                                            | 73.45                                                            | 73.30                                                            | 72.76                                                            | 71.77                                                            | 69.20                                                            | 68.82                                                            | 69.81                                                            | 70.54                                                            | 72.50                                                            | 73.29                                                            |
|                                                                  | Lignite                                                          | 3.20                                                             | 2.92                                                             | 2.80                                                             | 2.66                                                             | 2.51                                                             | 2.37                                                             | 2.21                                                             | 2.49                                                             | 2.23                                                             | 1.95                                                             | 1.94                                                             |
|                                                                  | Diesel                                                           | 0.13                                                             | 0.03                                                             | 0.02                                                             | 0.02                                                             | 0.01                                                             | 0.01                                                             | 0.01                                                             | 0.01                                                             | 0.01                                                             | 0.02                                                             | 0.03                                                             |
|                                                                  | Naptha                                                           | 0.09                                                             | 0.01                                                             | 0.00                                                             | 0.00                                                             | 0.00                                                             | 0.00                                                             | 0.01                                                             | 0.00                                                             | 0.00                                                             | 0.00                                                             | 0.00                                                             |
|                                                                  | Natural gas                                                      | 3.61                                                             | 4.00                                                             | 3.95                                                             | 3.83                                                             | 3.62                                                             | 3.49                                                             | 3.68                                                             | 2.41                                                             | 1.47                                                             | 1.80                                                             | 2.75                                                             |
|                                                                  | Sub Total                                                        | 79.10                                                            | 80.42                                                            | 80.07                                                            | 79.28                                                            | 77.92                                                            | 75.07                                                            | 74.72                                                            | 74.72                                                            | 74.25                                                            | 76.28                                                            | 78.00                                                            |
|                                                                  | Nuclear                                                          | 3.25                                                             | 3.19                                                             | 3.05                                                             | 2.93                                                             | 2.75                                                             | 3.35                                                             | 3.11                                                             | 3.16                                                             | 2.82                                                             | 2.76                                                             | 2.76                                                             |
|                                                                  | Hydro                                                            | 11.64                                                            | 10.34                                                            | 9.86                                                             | 9.64                                                             | 9.80                                                             | 11.21                                                            | 10.88                                                            | 10.16                                                            | 9.98                                                             | 7.71                                                             | 6.42                                                             |
|                                                                  | Bhutan Import                                                    | 0.45                                                             | 0.45                                                             | 0.45                                                             | 0.37                                                             | 0.32                                                             | 0.42                                                             | 0.63                                                             | 0.50                                                             | 0.42                                                             | 0.27                                                             | 0.06                                                             |
| Conventional Total                                               | Conventional Total                                               | 94.44                                                            | 94.39                                                            | 93.43                                                            | 92.21                                                            | 90.79                                                            | 90.04                                                            | 89.34                                                            | 88.54                                                            | 87.47                                                            | 87.01                                                            | 87.24                                                            |
|                                                                  | Wind                                                             | 3.04                                                             | 2.81                                                             | 3.70                                                             | 4.03                                                             | 4.51                                                             | 4.65                                                             | 4.35                                                             | 4.60                                                             | 4.42                                                             | 4.79                                                             | 4.03                                                             |
|                                                                  | Solar                                                            | 0.42                                                             | 0.63                                                             | 1.09                                                             | 1.98                                                             | 2.85                                                             | 3.61                                                             | 4.37                                                             | 4.93                                                             | 6.28                                                             | 6.67                                                             | 7.65                                                             |
|                                                                  | Biomass                                                          | 0.28                                                             | 0.32                                                             | 0.34                                                             | 0.26                                                             | 0.20                                                             | 0.21                                                             | 0.25                                                             | 0.23                                                             | 0.19                                                             | 0.20                                                             | 0.18                                                             |
|                                                                  | Bagasse                                                          | 1.06                                                             | 1.10                                                             | 0.80                                                             | 0.91                                                             | 0.99                                                             | 0.78                                                             | 0.82                                                             | 0.84                                                             | 0.79                                                             | 0.62                                                             | 0.34                                                             |
|                                                                  | Small Hydro                                                      | 0.72                                                             | 0.71                                                             | 0.62                                                             | 0.59                                                             | 0.63                                                             | 0.68                                                             | 0.74                                                             | 0.70                                                             | 0.69                                                             | 0.55                                                             | 0.41                                                             |
|                                                                  | Others                                                           | 0.03                                                             | 0.02                                                             | 0.02                                                             | 0.03                                                             | 0.03                                                             | 0.03                                                             | 0.12                                                             | 0.15                                                             | 0.16                                                             | 0.16                                                             | 0.15                                                             |
| Renewable                                                        | Energy Total                                                     | 5.56                                                             | 5.61                                                             | 6.57                                                             | 7.79                                                             | 9.21                                                             | 9.96                                                             | 10.66                                                            | 11.46                                                            | 12.53                                                            | 12.99                                                            | 12.76                                                            |
| Grand Total                                                      | Grand Total                                                      | 100.00                                                           | 100.00                                                           | 100.00                                                           | 100.00                                                           | 100.00                                                           | 100.00                                                           | 100.00                                                           | 100.00                                                           | 100.00                                                           | 100.00                                                           | 100.00                                                           |

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