Power generation in India improves in H1 FY11

The power generation in India seems to be on track in the first half this fiscal (April- September), as the electricity production remained 97.15 per cent of the planned 409.04 billion units of electricity.

According to the latest data of the techno-economic clearance body Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the country generated 397.34 billion units of power during the six months period at the 148.02 giga watt (GW) capacity being monitored by the body.

However the power generation during April-September this year is little short of the target, it registered a growth of about 4 per cent over electricity production in the same period last year.

Thermal power generation was 317.33 billion units during the April-September period, which is 80 per cent of the total power produced in the period. However, it constitutes about 72 per cent of the monitored 148.02 GW.

The aggregate efficiency (plan load factor) of the thermal power generation units was 72.02 per cent, compared to the planned 71.6 per cent in the said period by CEA.

However this was lower than 75.75 per cent efficiency achieved at such plant last fiscal (2009-10) in the six months period.

The incessant rains across the country has helped in improving power generation in the first half of the current fiscal. The hydro power plants produced 65.11 billion units, compared to planned 64.59 billion units.

Last year, during the same period, 60.59 billion units were produced at hydro power plant being monitored by the CEA.

The nuclear power generation has also improved considerably at 10.85 billion units, against the planned 10.34 billion units during the period.

However the power imports from Bhutan remained 4.09 billion units, as against the planned 4.73 billion units for during the six months long period.

The CEA has planned a total generation of 830.76 billion units at the monitored 148.02 power producing capacity during the current fiscal (2010-11).