India's Ambitious Power Capacity Expansion Plan

India is significantly expanding its power generation capacity, with 29,200 MW of thermal capacity under construction and 51,520 MW in planning. The aim is to reach 777.14 GW by 2029-30. Additionally, hydro, nuclear, and renewable projects are underway to support future energy needs.

India is embarking on a major expansion of its power generation capabilities, with an impressive 29,200 MW of thermal capacity currently under construction and another 51,520 MW being planned. These efforts are part of the government's ambitious goal of reaching a total installed power generation capacity of 777.14 GW by the fiscal year 2029-30, according to recent government disclosures.

In Parliament, Union Minister Shripad Naik highlighted that the Ministry of Power, in collaboration with various states, has outlined a plan to enhance thermal capacity by at least 80,000 MW by 2031-32. This involves not just thermal projects, but also significant investments in hydroelectric and pumped storage projects, as well as nuclear power.

The strategic plan also outlines the expansion of transmission and transformation infrastructure to support these new capacities, with 191,474 circuit kilometers of transmission lines and 1,274 GVA of transformation capacity planned for addition by 2031-32. These infrastructure developments are crucial as the country's peak power demand figures continue to rise, reaching 219.222 GW by October 2024.

(With inputs from agencies.)