85,000 MW capacity addition planned for 12th plan period: Govt

"I am sure ... We will be able to meet the power demand by 2017," Minister of State for Power K C Venugopal said during Question Hour.

He said a massive power capacity addition programme of 85,000 MW has been planned in the current five-year plan of which work on about 75,000 MW projects are already underway.

The 18th Electric Power Survey (EPS) report estimated the energy requirement in the terminal year of 12th Plan period (2012-17) at 1,354.874 billion units.

"The 12th Plan capacity addition targets are being finalised keeping in view the projected demand for electricity in the country," the minister said.

He also stated that the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) had, in the Load Generation Balance Report (LGBR) for 2011-12, estimated energy shortage of 10.3 per cent and peak demand shortage of 12.9 per cent during the year.

Venugopal said the actual energy shortage was 8.5 per cent and peak demand shortage was 10.3 per cent.

On a supplementary regarding power theft, he said distribution and transmission are done by power utilities. The Central government provides funds to states to check power pilferage.

To another query, Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said power transmission lines collapsed in Assam leading to disruption. He said the power grid has been asked to rectify the transmission lines.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal informed the House that 6.08 lakh biogas plants were installed during the 11th Plan against a target of 6.47 lakh in the country.