Lok Sabha Question No. 1111 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-08
Subject: Expansion of Thermal Power Capacity
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Manoj Kishorbhai Kotak, Tapir Gao, Ganesh Singh, Ravindra Kushawaha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1111

## ANSWERED ON 08.02.2024

## EXPANSION OF THERMAL POWER CAPACITY

1111. SHRI MANOJ KOTAK:

SHRI GANESH SINGH:

SHRI TAPIR GAO:

SHRI RAVINDRA KUSHWAHA:

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 estimated total cost for expansion of the same;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government 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 POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY

(SHRI R.K. SINGH)

- (a)  &  (b):  In  order  to  meet  the  estimated  electricity  demand  by  the  year  2031-32, generation planning studies has been carried out by Central Electricity Authority (CEA) considering stressed scenario.  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 is 283 GW against the present installed capacity of 214 GW.  Considering this, Government  of  India  propose  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) :    To reduce the dependency on coal based power plants, Government has planned to  augment  non  fossil  fuel  based  installed  electricity  generation  capacity  to  over 5,00,000 MW by 2031-32. To achieve this objective following steps have been taken to promote Renewable Energy 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 30th 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 to RE 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;
-  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;
-  Notification  of  'The  Electricity  (Late  Payment  Surcharge  and  related  matters) Rules (LPS rules);
-  Launch  of  Green  Term  Ahead  Market  (GTAM)  to  facilitate  sale  of  Renewable Energy 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  2027-28.  Under  the trajectory, 50 GW/annum of RE bids to be issued.

Further,  for  reduction  of  emission  levels  of  thermal  power  plants,  following measures are taken by the Government:

-  MoEF&CC  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 by using  Electro  Static  Precipitator  (ESP),  Flue  Gas  Desulphurization  (FGD),  NOx Combustion Modification, etc.
-  Promotion  of  installation  of  efficient  Ultra  Supercritical/Supercritical  units  over Subcritical Thermal Units.
-  Biomass co-firing- Ministry of Power has issued policy on Bio-mass Utilization for Power  Generation  through  Co-firing  in  Coal  based  Power  Plants  to  use  5-10% blend  of  biomass  pellets  made,  primarily  of  agro-residue  along  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.

**************

## ANNEXURE

ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1111 ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON 08.02.2024

*************

## Percentage of Electricity Generated From Various Sources

| Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2023-24 (Up to Dec)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2023-24 (Up to Dec)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2023-24 (Up to Dec)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2023-24 (Up to Dec)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2023-24 (Up to Dec)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2023-24 (Up to Dec)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2023-24 (Up to Dec)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2023-24 (Up to Dec)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2023-24 (Up to Dec)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2023-24 (Up to Dec)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2023-24 (Up to Dec)   | Year-Wise Generation from 2014-15 to 2023-24 (Up to Dec)   |
|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                            | Name                                                       | 2014- 15                                                   | 2015-16                                                    | 2016- 17                                                   | 2017-18                                                    | 2018- 19                                                   | 2019-20                                                    | 2020-21                                                    | 2021-22                                                    | 2022- 23                                                   | 2023-24 (upto Dec)                                         |
| Source                                                     | Source                                                     | % 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                                                      | 71.22                                                      |
|                                                            | Lignite                                                    | 3.20                                                       | 2.92                                                       | 2.80                                                       | 2.66                                                       | 2.51                                                       | 2.37                                                       | 2.21                                                       | 2.49                                                       | 2.23                                                       | 1.86                                                       |
|                                                            | Thermal Diesel                                             | 0.13                                                       | 0.03                                                       | 0.02                                                       | 0.02                                                       | 0.01                                                       | 0.01                                                       | 0.01                                                       | 0.01                                                       | 0.01                                                       | 0.02                                                       |
|                                                            | Naptha                                                     | 0.09                                                       | 0.01                                                       | 0.00                                                       | 0.00                                                       | 0.00                                                       | 0.00                                                       | 0.01                                                       | 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                                                       | 1.83                                                       |
|                                                            | Sub Total                                                  | 79.10                                                      | 80.42                                                      | 80.07                                                      | 79.28                                                      | 77.92                                                      | 75.07                                                      | 74.72                                                      | 74.72                                                      | 74.25                                                      | 74.93                                                      |
|                                                            | Nuclear                                                    | 3.25                                                       | 3.19                                                       | 3.05                                                       | 2.93                                                       | 2.75                                                       | 3.35                                                       | 3.11                                                       | 3.16                                                       | 2.82                                                       | 2.77                                                       |
|                                                            | Hydro                                                      | 11.64                                                      | 10.34                                                      | 9.86                                                       | 9.64                                                       | 9.80                                                       | 11.21                                                      | 10.88                                                      | 10.16                                                      | 9.98                                                       | 8.77                                                       |
| Bhutan                                                     | Import                                                     | 0.45                                                       | 0.45                                                       | 0.45                                                       | 0.37                                                       | 0.32                                                       | 0.42                                                       | 0.63                                                       | 0.50                                                       | 0.42                                                       | 0.36                                                       |
| Conventional Total                                         | Conventional Total                                         | 94.44                                                      | 94.39                                                      | 93.43                                                      | 92.21                                                      | 90.79                                                      | 90.04                                                      | 89.34                                                      | 88.54                                                      | 87.47                                                      | 86.82                                                      |
|                                                            | Wind                                                       | 3.04                                                       | 2.81                                                       | 3.70                                                       | 4.03                                                       | 4.51                                                       | 4.65                                                       | 4.35                                                       | 4.60                                                       | 4.42                                                       | 5.33                                                       |
|                                                            | Solar                                                      | 0.42                                                       | 0.63                                                       | 1.09                                                       | 1.98                                                       | 2.85                                                       | 3.61                                                       | 4.37                                                       | 4.93                                                       | 6.28                                                       | 6.44                                                       |
|                                                            | Biomass                                                    | 0.28                                                       | 0.32                                                       | 0.34                                                       | 0.26                                                       | 0.20                                                       | 0.21                                                       | 0.25                                                       | 0.23                                                       | 0.19                                                       | 0.19                                                       |
|                                                            | Bagasse                                                    | 1.06                                                       | 1.10                                                       | 0.80                                                       | 0.91                                                       | 0.99                                                       | 0.78                                                       | 0.82                                                       | 0.84                                                       | 0.79                                                       | 0.43                                                       |
|                                                            | Small Hydro                                                | 0.72                                                       | 0.71                                                       | 0.62                                                       | 0.59                                                       | 0.63                                                       | 0.68                                                       | 0.74                                                       | 0.70                                                       | 0.69                                                       | 0.62                                                       |
|                                                            | Others                                                     | 0.03                                                       | 0.02                                                       | 0.02                                                       | 0.03                                                       | 0.03                                                       | 0.03                                                       | 0.12                                                       | 0.15                                                       | 0.16                                                       | 0.16                                                       |
| Renewable Energy Total                                     | Renewable Energy Total                                     | 5.56                                                       | 5.61                                                       | 6.57                                                       | 7.79                                                       | 9.21                                                       | 9.96                                                       | 10.66                                                      | 11.46                                                      | 12.53                                                      | 13.18                                                      |
| Grand Total                                                | Grand Total                                                | 100.00                                                     | 100.00                                                     | 100.00                                                     | 100.00                                                     | 100.00                                                     | 100.00                                                     | 100.00                                                     | 100.00                                                     | 100.00                                                     | 100.00                                                     |

****************