The government, which was unable to achieve the previous plan period (2007-12) target of 78,577 MW due to fuel scarcity issues, aims to add 1,18,000 MW power generation capacity by March 2017. The target includes the spill-over of the previous Plan's shortfall, Planning Commission's current target of over 88,000 MW and nuclear as well as renewable power capacities.
"We are targeting a capacity addition of approximately 1,18,000 MW including 30,000 MW from renewable energy sources in the current five year plan (2012-17)," Power Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha told reporters here.
"We are very confident of achieving this (financial) year's target," Sinha said.
On being asked whether fuel non-availability will be an impediment in achieving this target, Sinha said that the fuel pass-through mechanism will solve that problem.
"Coal is not a bottleneck as the government has allowed fuel pass-through, shortages in domestic coal are being met through imported coal," he said.
As per the fuel-pass through, the cost of imported coal is passed on to the consumer in the form of higher tariff.
Sinha said: "Of the targetted 1,18,000 MW the government has already achieved 30,000 MW capacity till January, 2014." This does not include any renewable power capacity.
In 2012-13, India added over 20,000 MW capacity.
The government was unable to achieve the revised target of 62,000 MW in the 11th plan period (2007-12), mainly due to scarcity of coal and gas. The original target for the plan period was 78,577 MW. The total capacity added during the period was close to 55,000 MW.