Action Plan To Double Power Generation Capacity By 2012

The power ministry has firmed up an action plan to double the electricity generation capacity in the country to over 2 lakh mw by the end of the 11th Five Year Plan (2012).

Power ministry sources told Business Standard that projects aggregating 1,07,000 mw generation capacity had been identified by the ministry for completion during the 10th and the 11th Five Year Plans.

While 43,000 mw additional power generation capacity has been planned for the 10th plan, 64,000 mw target has been fixed for the 11th plan.

They added that the central sector was slated to add 21,000 mw in the 10th plan and 27,000 mw in the 11th plan.

The state sector will add 8,000 mw and 11,000 mw respectively during the 10th and 11th plans. The target for the private sector has been fixed at 14,000 mw and 26,000 mw respectively for the 10th and the 11th plans.

Under the action plan, the power ministry has envisaged the large-sized thermal units such as 3x660 mw Sipat (NTPC) and 6x660 Hirma (IPP) to reap economies of scale.

Further, it will stress on taking advantage of the greater thermal efficiency of the combined gas turbine systems by the Gas\LNG-based plants such as NTPC