12th Plan power capacity addition target may exceed: Goyal

Govt has set 1,18,537 MW power generation capacity addition target for the 12th Plan period ending 2016-17

Power Minister Piyush Goyal today said the target of adding 1,18,537 MW capacity for the current Plan period will not only be achieved but can even exceed.

"I assure you that 12th Plan targets will be met and even we will exceed (the target)," Goyal said during the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha.

Government has set 1,18,537 MW power generation capacity addition target for the 12th Plan period ending 2016-17. While 88,537 MW is supposed to come from conventional sources, the renewables are estimated to be contributing the remaining.

Replying to a supplementary, Goyal said about 52,738 MW from conventioanl sources had been achieved till February 9 and about 9,120 MW from renewable sources till January 31.

Government also plans to construct 1,07,440 circuit kilometres (ckm) of transmission lines and set up 2,82,740 MVA transformation capacity during the 12th Plan period.

"As against this, 50,503 ckm of transmission lines and 1,64,924 MVA of transformation capacity have been achieved till January, 2015," he added.

Replying to another question, he said overall shortage of power varies from state to state depending upon the demand and supply of power. The reasons for demand-supply gap included transmission and distribution constraints, less hydro generation and poor financial health of state utilities.

"Central government supplements the efforts of the state governments by establishing power plants and transmission systems in the central sector through Central Power Sector Undertakings," he said.

Government has taken initiative to prepare state-specific action plans for providing 24X7 power for all in partnership with the states, the Minister said.

"The allocation of power from Central Generating Stations (CGSs) to various states and UTs is done as per the extant guidelines and the entire capacity stands fully allocated at any point of time. The power supply to power deficit states would increase with the commissioning of new CGSs," he said.